the devil's advocate
by snogfairy
Summary: The devil's younger brother is sent to earth, ready to wreak havoc - but he didn't reckon he'd end up in a small flat, greeted by the shocked faces of a speechless inventor and his blonde neighbour. But they can't let the tea get cold over such a little inconvenience, can they? So the devil stays for tea - and maybe a little longer. [NaLu Modern/Fantasy AU]
1. Chapter 1

Hello friends! It's been a while!

I don't know if all of you know, but _Trial By Fire_ , a collab fic I was posting on a joint account (eviltrinity) with my friends Toxineena and Mslead, has officially come to an end! So I thought it was time to finally start posting my new story, hehe.

 _I'm very excited about this new AU! I hope you'll like it as much as me and I can't wait to hear what you think! Your reviews give me life and motivation!_

 _ _This fic will be updated **weekly** until further notice.__

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1**_

 _ **here is my handle, here is my spout**_

* * *

Smoke welled out beneath her neighbour's door. Thick, dark fumes that spoke of danger and suffocation.

It should have upset or even alarmed Lucy, had it not been such a regular occurence.

For a moment she considered simply walking on. But her heart, as big and compassionate as it was, would not let her.

Worry and curiosity waged a war inside her, and yet both held the same result: slowly, and with a sigh, Lucy knocked on the door. Her bag of groceries dangled dangerously close to the ground, the salmon inside probably in the process of being smoked, but she paid it no attention.

Her knuckles knocked against hard wood, _loud_ , so he'd actually hear her. Experience had taught her that her neighbour's hearing had probably been damaged a little, from one invention too many blowing up around him.

At least the whole house was renovated and equipped with the best smoke detectors around.

The perks of living beside a crazy inventor, she guessed.

The single one that had been installed inside was already blaring in protest, but a dull _thunk_ suddenly brought an end to its cries. Apparently the man inside was of the opinion he'd need no firemen to survive this, and Lucy knew he probably was right.

While that thought crossed her mind, the door swung open. As the cloud of smoke cleared enough for both of them to stop coughing desperately, Lucy focused stern eyes on the man standing in front of her.

Clad in working pants, with his hair pulled back in a ponytail, and _charred_ from head to toe, he seemed to have jumped straight out of a bonfire. But there were little happy wrinkles around his eyes, a sign of many years lived with a smile, and even now his grin never wavered. White teeth shone brightly in the otherwise dark face.

"Sheesh, Igneel, you're gonna kill us all some day."

"Ah, Lucy dear! It's almost time for tea! Care for one?"

It was normal for the inventor to ignore her chiding, just as it was normal for her to accept all of his invitations. Igneel swatted some grime off his pants, dirtying his hands even more by doing so, and Lucy suppressed the urge to get out the cleaning utensils right then and there.

The smoke was beginning to clear, and Lucy could make out the narrow hallway in front of her. Hesitantly, she followed Igneel into the room that served as both living room and what he liked to call his "corner of creation". Just as his pants, every surface in the room seemed to be covered in a layer of soot. The source where all the dirt originated from was the corner opposite of the windows, where something horrible, large and horrendous stood.

Wires and pipes pointed in all directions as the machine huffed and puffed, almost like a breathing, living thing. The gadget sure as hell was heavier than an elephant, and looked the part too.

It had to be his new invention.

"Igneel… _what_ is that."

The man beamed at her, as if he was about to reveal the secret of life.

"It's my newest baby! A Cigarette-Dispensing-And Lighting-Machine. I call it the Fire Dragon 100!"

Despite herself, Lucy forced a smile onto her face, nodding politely. Igneel always set a high value on her opinions and reactions, thinking she made so much time to come see them. Lucy, on the other hand, had only started coming over more regularly because she feared the man was so caught up in his work that he might forget to eat, and starve.

Over time, of course, a weird friendship had bloomed between the unusual pair. And Lucy secretly loved seeing what her inventor came up with, no matter how crazy and useless his machines usually proved to be. Likewise, Igneel loved the fresh energy and air of joy his young neighbour brought to his apartment. Not to mention her cleaning fits.

"Why… is it so big, though?" Lucy carefully asked, smile still bright on her face, a desperate attempt to mask her slight horror. "Wouldn't it be more… _handy_ , if you could fit it into, say, a pocket? And carry it around?"

Igneel scratched the back of his head, and a few ginger strands came loose, falling over his ears and forehead, and even tickling the scar across his right eye. She'd always wondered how he'd gotten that one.

"Well," he finally replied, but his tone was enough for Lucy to deduct that he had not given it a single thought, "This one is for at home! I can make it a younger brother once the prototype will actually _work_."

Grunting that last word, he kicked against the machine, which hissed in protest. With a grin, Lucy thought it almost seemed offended, and the little puff of smoke it spat in Igneel's face was the last straw. She giggled affectionately, crossing the room to stand beside the inventor and his invention. Almost playfully, she nudged his side, and his disgruntled face softened as he looked down at her, making him appear ten years younger in a heartbeat.

"Didn't you mention tea just now?"

"Lucy love, what would I do without you! Come on into the kitchen, I think it's still clean enough in there to sit down, and I'll boil the water and…" His eyes flitted down to the bag still dangling from her hand. "You don't happen…?"

"Biscuits?" Lucy guessed with a grin, "I bought three packs just for you."

Before she knew it, the tall, sturdy man had smothered her in a hug of grime and affection, leaving her squeaking in terror. Her clothes were _done for_. Nevertheless, she returned the hug quickly, patting his back as he moved back and grinned at her.

He led the way into the kitchen, and Lucy shook her head with a smile, trying not to think of the dirt he had left clinging to her clothes and skin, or the smudges it would later take her ages to get out of her hair. He definitely was a working pants kind of guy, but his rough exterior gave way to a kind, loving inside. She wouldn't ever let him know, but to her he was something like a father. One she had never had, not like _this_. Their little get togethers always filled her with joy, leaving her happy and… at peace.

At least _after_ she closed the door and left the chaos behind. The feeling always took a while to settle, and needed some distance from the mad man and his explosives.

The kitchen was small, and equipped sparsely. And indeed, it was quite clean - from grime, that is. Undone dishes filled the sink, and breadcrumbs were littered _everywhere_ \- really, how did he eat?

"Igneel, could I put my groceries into your fridge for a bit?"

"Sure love, go ahead. I'll just boil the water, and get out some cups," he rambled on and on, gleefully rubbing his hands against each other. They both shuffled around in the kitchen, a comfortable silence settling in the small space.

It wasn't until he had poured the tea that Igneel spoke again.

"Say, Lucy, are you up for a little show? The tea has to cool anways… "

Excited eyes fixed themselves on her, and Lucy simply didn't find it in her to deny him. Her clothes were dirty already, after all.

What more could happen?

With a sigh, Lucy followed Igneel, who had already bounced back into the living room, awaiting her excitedly. His eyes scanned his invention critically, and he got what Lucy simply liked to call _the look_. He kept standing very still, probably mentally scrutinizing every screw and formula that had went into the creation of this thing.

Then, suddenly, he began moving, striding towards the machine and almost disappearing completely behind it. He plucked a pencil from behind his right ear (had he been hiding it in his hair all along?) and began scribbling onto a charred piece of paper before marking a piece of wood at seemingly random intervals, all the while excitedly mumbling to himself. The world around him seemed forgotten for a good minute, then he suddenly startled and whirled around to beam at Lucy.

"I think I can make it smaller!" he proclaimed, "But for now, watch me work this baby! I'm positive it will work this time! If I just tweak _this_ …"

Reaching into the back of the machine, all she saw where his brows, furrowed in concentration. He tugged, and then tugged some more, and then, suddenly, his eyes grew wide and he pulled back with a torn cable in hand.

"Oops," he managed a moment later, and an apologetic grin spread across his face. "We might wanna… jump ship."

"Igneel, _what_ do you mean? What have you done?!"

Beside him, the machine roared to new life, coughing and puffing, and she watched in horror as the first kindling flame licked its way out. Smoke rose with each stutter and jerk, and the whole gadgetry looked unsettlingly cataclysmic. Lucy took a step backwards.

She hadn't gotten far, though, when a gigantic cloud of smoke enveloped the whole room in a blanket of darkness. Coughing, Lucy dropped to her knees, instinctively seeking the ground and dragging her shirt up over her mouth and nose.

A small explosion sent scraps flying, and she covered her head. Her lungs were burning. Looking around, she tried to find Igneel. But everything was dark. The room began to turn blurry around the edges.

It was hot, too hot, and she could see bright flames dancing not far from her.

The damned smoke detector didn't make a sound. Just what had Igneel done to it earlier?!

Now they would both die. This was it.

Lucy coughed, trying to crawl somewhere safer. But she was too disoriented to even suspect where the door might be. Tears stung in her eyes.

Her head bumped against something hard, and she would have cursed, had her lungs allowed it. Blinking, she realized it was the leg of a table.

Had she seriously crawled _closer_ to the fire? Well, she guessed she deserved burning.

The thought made her laugh in her desperation, but the sound came out croaky. Just how much time did she have left before the smoke alone would do her in?

She glared at the table - and then froze. Because there was another leg - a real one - right in front of her nose. She'd almost bumped it, had the heat coming off it not been so painful that she flinched back in the last second.

Was she hallucinating now?

That seemed to be the only explanation. A foot was dangling right in front of her, swaying slightly, and the rest of the person undoubtedly had to be sitting on top of the table - right next to the burning machine.

Yes, she was definitely losing it.

Because even breathing seemed easier too all of a sudden, when that was virtually impossible.

Was the smoke clearing?

A peculiar sucking sound from above caught her attention, and she could make out the shape of a person. It seemed as if the smoke was oozing off him and being sucked in at the same time. Lucy blinked hazily.

The smoke was gone.

She probably was dead.

But the person was still there, and she was not only conscious, but actually felt a little better. Was he a firefighter, maybe, and her imagination had played a trick on her? Her eyes bulged, though, as she took a closer look at the newcomer.

There were many curious things worth noticing about him, but none sprung to eye as much as his skin.

It was red.

He was red from head to toe, save the mane of paler hair on his head, which was so faded it was almost a shade of pink. Two tiny horns poked through the mess. Everywhere else though, his skin seemed to be born right out of a fire, all flame and ruby.

Only then did Lucy's brain process just why she was able to know there was not a spot of pale skin on him - because he was also stark naked. His spread legs happily dangled off the table he sat on, leaving nothing to the imagination as a dark smirk split his face in half. His teeth looked unnaturally sharp.

Lying on the ground, she blinked up at him in shock. Then their eyes met.

Had this been a movie, now would have been the appropriate time for Lucy to faint.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thankyou for all the lovely reviews, they really make my day! I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far! Let's continue together, hehe. :3**

 _Oh and btw, this fic is actually based on one of my favourite childhood books, Meffi der kleine feuerrote Teufel. :D_

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 _sugar, spice and everything nice_

* * *

His gaze was dark, piercing. A chill ran down Lucy's spine. The eyes burning into hers were all black, but blazing and hot at the same time, like glimmering coals. They left a feeling of uneasiness and vulnerability in their wake.

Lucy felt as if she had just been burned by his look alone.

Nevermind the actual flames still dancing behind him, or the smoke that had only cleared enough for her not to desperately gasp for breath anymore.

"Lucy!" Igneel coughed, and the person's head snapped around, following the sound.

Frozen in place, Lucy watched Igneel stumble through the clearing smoke. He was coughing, but had apparently seen her on the ground, walking a more or less straight line towards her.

Their watery eyes met for an instant, and as he held out a hand to help her up, he croaked, "Lucy, are you okay?"

Lucy was not okay. Her body was just fine from what she could determine herself, but her mind must have stopped working. She got up in a trance, gripping onto Igneel's arm like a lifeline. Her eyes moved back to the table.

The red guy was still sitting there, eyeing her intently.

"Lucy?" Igneel worriedly waved a hand in front of her face, then stopped to hold up three fingers. "How many fingers can you count?"

Lucy lifted a shaky index finger.

"No no, that's not right. Not one. They're th–"

He stopped when she shook her head and slowly pointed behind his right ear. His whole forehead wrinkled in confusion. Yet he still heeded her silent command, turning around.

In the next instant, he looked exactly like Lucy.

Eyes as large as soup plates, jaw slack, and completely immobile. And so they stood, staring at the intruder - who stared right back.

Seconds passed.

And then, finally, the smoking man spoke.

"What the hell?!"

"Well that is what I could ask you, young man!" Igneel suddenly thundered, and both Lucy and the young man in question blinked at him in surprise. "My Fire Dragon! It's ruined!"

Lucy almost pointed out that the machine had most likely been destroyed by the fire, and not the man, but didn't dare speak simply for the sheer impossibility of the situation. Of the million things he could have said, Igneel chose to be outraged about his invention.

Figured.

Lucy, on the other hand, had more trouble ignoring the obvious.

 _Sorry, why are you red?_

 _Are those real, actual horns?_

 _Did you just materialize in the living room?_

 _Naked?_

 _Excuse me, do you happen to know why you look like a–_

No. She had to have hit her head. Yes.

But the list went on and on, leaving her head spinning.

The… thing's grin spread from one ear to the other, mischief rolling off him in waves.

"Oh is it?" he drawled, "Does that make you angry?"

He looked terribly self-satisfied, and Igneel cocked his head before letting out a deep breath.

"No," he said, and the other's face fell. "Guess it wasn't my best invention anyways… But might I ask who you are? Because you're definitely no cigarette."

The cigarette made man stared at the pair, grimacing in confusion. It obviously did not please him that he had no grip on the situation. Reluctantly, he grumbled, "What?"

"This machine was supposed to dispense cigarettes!" Igneel complained, "Not… devils!"

"And how'd you figure _that_ out!" the apparent devil snarled in indignation, scowling at the older man. In his anger, his hair lit on fire, and in that moment he did in fact, and against all odds, look like a human-sized cigarette.

Lucy watched the ridiculous conversation in a haze. Then she cleared her throat, testing if it was still able to make any sound at all. Both man and devil turned to look at her.

Her eyes widened, and she felt compelled to say something. The question was… what did one say to a devil that had just materialized in your neighbour's flat?

"So…" she started, at a loss of words for once. His legs were still spread, hands resting on the table beside his trim hips. His tail danced from right to left behind him. She tried to keep her eyes trained on his face only. It did not work. At all.

And her brain short-circuited.

"Put on some clothes!" she screeched, pointing an enraged index finger right between his legs.

"What?!" Now his entire head burst into flame, and he jumped off the table, pointing right back at her. "First you summon me in the middle of the literal journey from hell and then you want me to put on _clothes_?! What is _wrong_ with you mortals?"

Flames puffed out of his mouth, but Lucy noticed he seemed a little wobbly on his feet. The fact that the mere notion of clothes seemed to offend him more than anything almost amused her.

"Now listen, you! I don't know who you are–"

"I'm Natsu," he spat, knocking a fist against his hard chest. "Brother of Zeref!"

"Fine, Natsu, I don't know how you walk around in your home, but here you will put on… something! Right, Igneel?"

Begging eyes moved to her neighbour, who stood as silent and solid as a rock, scratching his chin. He seemed amazingly unaffected by this whole turn of events.

"Yes," he finally agreed with a nod, "clothes might be a good idea."

A sigh of relief left Lucy, and she relaxed visibly. Her gaze fell onto a blue piece of _something_ that lay draped over the couch, charred at the edges. Quickly, she snatched it and held it up against the light. After a short examination of what proved to be a boiler suit, she flung it at Natsu, who automatically caught it - but then realized his mistake.

"I'm not gonna wear this!"

"Yes, you will," Igneel interrupted their angry staring contest, arms crossed over his chest and voice leaving no room for refusal. Lucy wasn't sure what exactly happened in that moment, but to her disbelief, Natsu scowlingly stepped into the thing.

"Fine!" he spat, pulling it up and knotting the sleeves around his waist. Well… good enough. "Now give me food."

" _What_ ," Lucy outright wheezed.

"You summoned me and fucked up my schedule. And now that I'm out of this damned stream thing, I'm fucking hungry. So give me food. What did you want from me anways? Not like I'll give you anything," he grumbled, actually pouting.

"S-summon?! We didn't summon you!"

"Did so."

"I didn't even _believe_ in you five minutes ago!"

"That's kinda rude, you know."

"Well," Igneel calmly interupted their bickering, "the tea is getting cold. I'll be getting some."

He turned, making his way to the kitchen. The two left behind blinked at his back, then at each other. When their eyes met, they both snapped their heads in the other direction.

"Well," Lucy finally sighed after a short, tensed silence, "now that you're here, we might as well, uh, make the best of it. I'm Lucy."

She extended a hand, which he eyed in suspicion.

"Well, Luigi, you can do that, but I'm gonna make the _worst_ of it." He leaned in closer, dark eyes narrowing. "Now that I'm here, you won't get rid of me anytime soon. I might as well start the exam right here and now."

Satisfied with his little speech, he gave a last sideglance at her shocked face, smiling darkly as he left her behind to follow Igneel into the kitchen, "Welcome to hell."

Lucy swallowed as his presence lifted from the room, shivering involuntarily. Just what had that been about? And what exam?

This was all a little too overwhelming.

Now that the adrenaline was no longer boiling in her blood, she felt her limbs tremble with exhaustion and shock. Taking a deep, deep breath, Lucy tested her burning lungs. They hurt, aching with every surge of fresh air that filled them. The stale, ashy taste in her mouth wouldn't go away. Maybe tea was a good idea after all.

It mostly was.

Puffing her cheeks, she trailed after Natsu, who had already launched at the table. The biscuits must have caught his attention first, because his hand shot out greedily. But then it suddenly paused, freezing mid-air.

He was staring at the biscuits in what was not simply surprise, but outright shock and disbelief.

"What now," Lucy rolled her eyes, while Igneel took a sip of his tea, calm eyes on their unexpected guest. "Are the biscuits terrifying you, Mr. Devil?"

"Y-you…" he stuttered in barely contained outrage, "You laid the sign of Draconis out in biscuits?!"

"The what," they both echoed.

"You summoned me with a plate of biscuits!" he screeched, whirling around and almost knocking himself out of his chair.

It was too much. Lucy burst into mad laughter, completely overwhelmed by the impossibility of the situation she found herself in.

"I what?" she spluttered, "I can't believe this. This isn't happening."

"Detoured by _biscuits_ ," the devil hissed, as preoccupied with his own worries as Lucy, "I should have arrived in a war zone, or military base, or at least a damned school, and instead I'm… where the fuck am I anyways?!"

"Apartment 7A," Igneel clarified, and the glare he received could have burned through steel.

Angrily, Natsu grabbed a fistful of biscuits and crammed them into his mouth, munching down in fury. Those delicious evildoers would never summon anyone again. But damn, they really were good. Glancing at the plate, he snatched it with a swipe of his hand and pulled it into his lap in one swift motion. Half the biscuits spilled everywhere, clattering over the table and onto the ground.

Lucy watched the angry flames in his hair die down with every bite he took, weirdly amused by the sight. He looked almost peaceful now, and totally unaware of the two pairs of eyes on him. To say he appeared to be hungry and willing to eat the whole place seemed like the understatement of the century.

Even the crumbs on his chin fell victim to his searching fingers, and after he had downed her hot tea and exhaled a little cloud of steam, his belly growled loudly.

"More food," he demanded.

Lucy was about to lose it yet again when Igneel stopped her with the lift of his index finger.

"How about you tell us a little more about yourself over another cuppa, and _then_ we make dinner?"

Both Lucy and Natsu stared at him, taken aback.

To her surprise, the devil actually considered his offer instead of breaking into another angry tirade.

"Igneel," Lucy attempted to whisper," You don't even _have_ food."

Slowly, Igneel turned his head towards his neighbor.

The grin that split his face in half easily rivaled that of a devil.


	3. Chapter 3

__Yay! Another chap! Now that the Love Fest is over, I can continue working on Chapter 5! I can't let you guys catch up that quickly! *rushes to write*__

 _ _Don't forget, Saturday is devil's day! ;) As always, if you like the story it would make my day if you left a review!__

 _ _On another note, should I post this year's love fest entries here too?__

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 _don't let the bedbugs bite_

* * *

A good pillow was one of the finest inventions of mankind.

Lucy came to this conclusion, and not for the first time, as she buried her face deeply in said gift to the world, sighing happily.

The freshly washed fabric smelled heavenly, its softness too inviting to even consider lifting one's head out of it.

Well. That had been a weird dream.

Because that was exactly what it had been. A dream. Right?

Lucy knew it hadn't been a dream.

But the rational part of her mind insisted that it had to be, no matter how real it felt, or how vividly the memories played before her mind's eye.

It could not be that an actual devil had materialized in Igneel's flat. It just couldn't. Just as it couldn't be that said devil had stayed for dinner (or longer, as he had insisted), or that he had been sent to earth to complete his S-Class Exam (that entailed corrupting and sending 100 souls to hell), or that he had declared Igneel's flat was as good a place to start as any, or that his brother was widely known as _the_ devil, or—

With a groan, Lucy pulled the blanket over her head. She would just hide from reality, here in the safe haven of her vanilla scented bed.

Except she couldn't.

She was starving, and not very tired anymore, and she really needed a bath. She'd fallen into bed like a dead bird yesterday.

And reality had this annoying habit of catching up all too quickly.

In a game of hide and seek, it was the worst opponent to choose, always the sure victor. Yet mankind kept trying tirelessly, thinking it could outsmart a power far greater than themselves. A power that they fed, allowing it to construct the maze through which they all had to stumble.

Lucy, too, stumbled – from the bathroom into the kitchen, that is. There she poured herself a much needed cup of coffee. It had been late when she had finally returned to her flat yesterday, with not a single grocery to show for her original intent. Both Natsu and Igneel were greedy eaters indeed. That food had been supposed to last her at least three days.

And now she'd have to go again.

Her face wrinkled in places she hadn't been aware it could at the mere thought of carrying heavy grocery bags along the block and up the stairs _again_.

But first…

But first she had to check if she had, by any chance, actually gone insane.

The door across the hallway seemed larger than before, looming over Lucy as she stood in front of it and nervously clutched her fingers. She felt unnaturally small. A knock was all it took.

But between questioning her sanity and worrying about what it meant if she was _right_ , Lucy's brain had somehow given up on communicating with the rest of her body. Her hand hung loosely below her hip, eyes emptily staring at the door of Apartment 7A.

But the decision was taken from her.

The door opened with a slight creak, revealing a droopy eyed, stubbly Igneel. His eyes silently screamed for help as a very strained grin spread across his face.

"He's still there, isn't he?" Lucy whispered, all her fears confirmed with one single glance.

He nodded, his grin stretching further.

"Hell yeah I am!" it called from inside the apartment, and Lucy felt Igneel's strained grin spread from his face onto hers. And so they stood, silently suffering, each occupied with their own thoughts.

Until Natsu poked his red head around the corner.

"Yo, vanilla girl," he called in what was probably supposed to be a greeting, "Did you bring food?"

Wordlessly, and with that damned smile still etched into her face, Lucy turned and walked down the stairs. The door fell closed when she was almost at the bottom, and a deep breath escaped her.

Vanilla girl?!

Biting her lip, Lucy slammed the entrance door shut behind her with more force than necessary.

And when she used it a second time, a bit later on, she realized that she had already decided to go back to Igneel's place – but not before she hadn't safely stored her new, precious groceries in her own fridge. It was her who had accidentally summoned Natsu, after all. She couldn't just turn her back on her friend.

This time, she didn't hesitate when knocking, and the door promptly opened.

Dark eyes sparkled as she jumped in surprise.

"Where's Igneel?" Lucy asked, trying to keep the sudden high pitch out of her voice. Natsu's words rang in her ears, about tainting souls and sending people to hell…

Natsu pursed his lips, the slight fear in her voice not unnoticed by him.

"Oh, I ate him," he informed her casually, clever eyes eagerly waiting for a reaction.

He watched fear, confusion and disbelief wash over her face all at once, inwardly cackling to himself. This human sure was fun.

His fun was interrupted all too soon, though, when Igneel called out of the kitchen, "I'm right here, love. Doubt I'd taste good, anyways."

Lucy glared at him as she pushed past, trying to hide her obvious relief.

This time he didn't bother to hold in his laughter, letting it shamelessly ring through the small hallway.

"He's right, though," Natsu cackled as he followed Lucy, "Bet he'd taste like leather."

"Young man!" Igneel's voice boomed. "I get to decide what I'm made of."

Natsu rolled his eyes, while Lucy couldn't even believe her own ears anymore. Deciding to ignore any and all madness, she chose to pretend everything was as normal as ever. A coping mechanism, probably.

"So… you're gonna stay here?" she asked after she'd reached the kitchen, smiling a relieved smile in Igneel's direction. He was wearing his working pants again. Only then did she realize that Natsu had changed from his weird boiler suit dress into actual clothes: sweatpants and a t-shirt that were both unmistakenly at least one size too big for him.

"Yup," the devil responded, shrugging nonchalantly. No further explanation followed.

"Why?" She asked again, her voice sharper, almost annoyed. Did she have to drag every answer out of him? What an annoying guy he was. Then again, she supposed that was his job. Well, he excelled at boiling her blood, that was for sure.

"Why not?" His grin spread, "You feed me. And I want your souls."

The last bit was added casually, but made a shiver run down Lucy's spine. Despite the knot in her stomach, she pushed on further.

"So if you want our souls so badly, why don't you just take them?" Her inquisitive gaze travelled over his face, demanding answers. "Why don't you just send us to hell and be done with it?"

Natsu's eyes darted to the wall, angered that he'd been caught.

"I could!" he retorted defiantly, but showed no signs of intending to actually follow up on his words. Lucy crossed her arms over her chest, feeling insanely brave - and possibly also insanely stupid. But the fact that he seemed to be in a bind encouraged her.

Natsu didn't say anything, but felt her gaze burn into the side of his face. Finally, he broke.

"I can't, ok!" he grumbled, "Not yet, that is."

"I don't get it," Igneel complained, "Why not?"

"Like hell I'll tell you!" Natsu screeched, his in any case short patience at an end. "Do I look like a fucking en… encozy…book!"

"Encyclopedia," Lucy corrected, unable to help herself.

Natsu hissed at her, an actual snarl that erupted in the pit of his stomach. This time, she was not scared. He seemed more and more like a cat that had become stuck in the carton it had chosen as its personal fort, hissing and scratching at the people trying to guide it back out.

And he could probably be soothed with food.

Lucy snorted, and his ignorance as to the reason for her amusement only enraged Natsu more. Flames licked along his throat, singing the hem of his borrowed shirt.

"What's so funny?!"

"Do you like milk?" Lucy asked, biting down a snort. It was becoming hard to breathe evenly.

Natsu's hair erupted into flame.

Lucy wheezed for air as gulps of laughter freed themselves from their restraints. Igneel directed questioning eyes at her, and she mouthed an _I'm sorry_ , trying to blink the tears of amusement out of her eyes.

Meanwhile, Natsu's shirt perished.

Flames licked along his bare torso, and he pointed a flaming index finger at Lucy.

"Just wait till I can get my hands on you! I'll roast you!"

"But… you can't get your hands on me," Lucy carefully felt her way through a minefield, cautious not to take any wrong steps. "You can't touch me?"

"Of course I can!" he growled, reaching out to prove his point. She flinched back from the flames, but he was fast, and his grip tight. Lucy's eyes widened in horror.

But the pain never came. The flames didn't burn her.

Confused, she blinked at his hand, and the flames licking at her skin. Natsu was looking at the same spot, though instead of relieved, he looked positively pissed. He let go, flinging her arm away as if he was the one that got burned.

He mumbled something under his breath that sounded not very human, and definitely was a curse.

Lucy pensively rubbed her wrist, his hot touch still tingling on her skin.

Not only had he been willing to hurt her, but he'd have done so gladly. This fact disturbed her for obvious reasons, but she forced her mind to tread along a logical path, concentrating on deducting some sense into this madness.

"Okay, so you can touch me… but you can't hurt me. Or Igneel. Isn't that right?"

Natsu bared his teeth at her, obviously displeased she had so easily figured him out.

"Doesn't matter if you know," he spat, changing his strategy, "Your souls will be mine anyways, and as soon as you're tainted, I can do as I please. It's not like you can escape."

Satisfied, he toned down his flames, a malicious grin twisting his lips. He walked to the counter, snatching what was probably the last edible thing in the whole flat. Lucy couldn't even make out what it had been as it disappeared between his lips.

While his rage had not been fearsome, his calm was for more disturbing.

He stalked back over towards Lucy, his muscles rippling with his movements. Lucy tried to ignore the way the muscles in his lower abdomen contracted with every step he took, or the flex of his bicep as he lifted his arm to balance it on his naked hip. She swallowed.

Even the unnatural colour of his skin was weirdly attractive, like dark, glimmering ruby turned human.

He grinned, exuding disturbing nonchalance. Was she such an easy target?

"Well, I guess I kinda have a soft spot for you guys," he went on, "since you're the first humans I met, and all."

Their brows rose in unison. Lucy hadn't even been aware the notion of sympathy existed in Natsu's moral compass.

"This guy here will be my first," Natsu said, gesticulating towards his involuntary flatmate , "and you…" His bottomless eyes fixed themselves on her face, and he licked his lips in a weirdly predatory motion, taking in her wide eyes, "You'll be my last."

And just like that, Lucy scratched her last thought.

But his words echoed in her mind relentlessly, and she wasn't able to hold his stare. Looking away, she tried not to shiver. She felt cold, and it had nothing to do with the season.

"We won't let that happen," she mumbled.

"She's right," Igneel agreed, "I won't let my soul get tainted by some devil in puberty."

Lucy watched Natsu's jaw clench, but he forced a smile onto his face, which had gotten dangerously close to hers. She noticed that his lashes were long, and as pitchblack as his eyes.

He leaned in closer, almost bumping foreheads with her. She became very still, hyperaware of her breathing and heartbeat. Her brain decided to leave her high and dry, and all she could do was stare, like a deer in the headlights of a car.

"You'll be dessert, vanilla girl."


	4. Chapter 4

Aaand here we go with chapter 4! This isn't anything halloweeny, just a regular update : D But it has a devil so I guess it counts ;)  
Also I decided to try and finish this story this November by participating in NaNoWriMo! If I actually manage to, I will switch updates to twice a week^-^

As always, leaving a review for me makes my whole day! I've also answered some below!

* * *

 **chapter 4:**

 _all work and no play_

* * *

"Please don't!"

"You can't stop me now!"

"Natsu, please- no!"

The little pawn toppled over, and Lucy watched in horror as Natsu kicked it off the board.

"I almost reached safety!" she wailed.

" _Almost_ is the key word here," he drawled, tossing the dice at her condescendingly.

"I _hate_ this stupid game! I don't want to play it anymore!"

"Someone's a sore loser," Natsu grinned mercilessly, "Is this because this is the seventh time in a row that you lose?"

"Oh shut up," she hissed, nonetheless grabbing the damned little die of doom. It had to be cursed or something. How else could she have such a string of bad luck?

It wasn't just today, either. At some point during the past weeks, Natsu had involuntarily lost himself to a minor game addiction, and the board game now lying in front of them had become his newest obsession. They had repeatedly played it _every_ day for the last seven days. And Lucy had won exactly _twice_. She couldn't see it anymore. She hated it with so much irrational rage that she had even dreamed of burning its cut up pieces to a pile of ashes.

It was a dream she wanted to experience again soon. It had brought her more satisfaction than she liked to admit.

So when Igneel stuck his head through the doorframe, declaring what the delicious smell in the flat had already been announcing - that it was time for dinner - she jumped up as if she had been sitting on a pillow of needles.

Grumbling, Natsu followed after. He had long since discarded Igneel's boiler suit for a pair of well-fitting grey sweatpants (courtesy of Lucy's rent money) and a shirt that he just _loved_ to loose.

He'd declared numerous times that he had no necessisity for any form of 'outfit', and that the stupid fabric made him feel _uncomfortable_. But after Lucy had repeatedly run into him when he had been strutting through the place as naked as on the day he was born, he had quickly learned to value a good piece of clothing. If only to save himself from her deadly wrath. She sure could be scary if she wanted to be.

A clothed Natsu was rather annoying for his caretakers, though - dirt seemed to stick to him like to a toddler's half-eaten and then discarded lollipop. He had barely pulled the freshly washed shirt over his head before the first stains decorated it. It didn't help that his favourite pastime was sniffing out every last, tiniest, _uncleaned_ corner of Igneel's apartment. Or that he loved to coat himself in the ashes of their little fireplace like an untrained dog.

And yet, both Lucy and Igneel insisted on him wearing the damned things, no matter how he tried to ruin them. He just couldn't figure out humans.

Still, when he could be sure he was alone with Igneel - he had soon memorized the times Lucy was at work - he dared to casually lose any and all obstructing materials one after the other. Igneel didn't seem to mind as much as Lucy did, or at least he didn't let it show. Didn't even bat an eyelash whenever he caught him.

Natsu had yet to find something that could make him blow.

But that, he told himself, was only a matter of time.

Once at the table, Natsu was shirtless. He felt Lucy's glare on the side of his face and turned to gloat at her.

"Natsu, where's your shirt?" she strained, gritting her teeth.

"No idea." His knowing grin didn't waver. This time, she wouldn't find it.

"Now now," Igneel's kind voice interrupted them before they could get started, "Who wants some fried chicken?"

Before Natsu's greedy hand could snatch a piece, Lucy slapped it away. Her stern eyes moved to the cutlery beside his plate. For a moment, a staring battle ensued. But like last time, Lucy won. It had taken her a long while, but for a reason not even she herself understood fully, Natsu was beginning to actually listen to her. Grumpily so, sure, but he was cooperating nonetheless.

Following Igneel's example, Natsu reluctantly picked up the fork, balling a tight fist around it. He slammed it into a piece pf chicken, angrily stabbing at it when the fork came right out as he pulled back. His eyes flitted to the knife, and it, too, found itself buried deep in a chicken leg the next instant.

"Natsu, that's _not_ how you hold a knife and fork!" Lucy chided, "How many times do I have to tell you they're not instruments for murder."

"I get the little pitchforks," Natsu grunted, "but those knife things don't even cut anything!"

"That's because you're holding it like you're about to stab someone! Here, let me show you - _again_."

Reaching across the table, an exasperated Lucy caught hold of Natsu's hands, guiding them until they moved like she wanted them to.

"It'd still be easier to just eat with hands," Natsu grumbled under his breath, but a glare from Lucy shut him up.

"Actually," Igneel chimed in, "I'm with Natsu on this one. Fried chicken just begs to be torn apart with your fingers."

Natsu beamed at the tall man, the action turning his whole face into that of a young boy. "I know, right?" he grinned at his sudden ally, and Lucy dropped her cutlery in frustration.

"Oh come on, quit playing the devil's advocate!"

Igneel blankly stared at her. It took Lucy a few moments to process what she had just said, but when she did, she simply closed her eyes, hand moving to her forehead in an attempt to cover her face in shame.

"Let's just… pretend I did not just say that."

"You really gotta lighten up, Lucy," Natsu stated as his sharp nails dug into a piece of chicken. He never disrupted eye contact as he stuffed it into his mouth. Meat juices ran along his chin. Lucy cringed, but refrained from making a comment. Igneel, too, was happily chewing on a wing, dragging the bone along his teeth. He shrugged non-apologetically, and Lucy found she was clearly overruled on this one.

And as she watched the two men enjoy themselves, she found herself hesitating.

"Is it really that much better to eat it with your hands?" she mumbled more to herself than anyone else.

"It's part of the _experience_ , Lucy," Igneel informed her. "It's like eating fries without the salt."

"Or fire sticks without the sulfur sprinkles," Natsu agreed, only to receive disgusted stares. "Igneel, this is awesome! You really _are_ a good cook!"

"Took you long enough to finally accept that," the good cook grumbled, his pride obviously hurt. After all, he'd been cooking for the little devil most of the days. His expenses had sky rocketed ever since his new flatmate had made himself home here, so the least he could expect was a little gratitude, wasn't it?

He guessed he had to take all he could get. Baby steps.

So when Natsu hummed appreciatively, Igneel couldn't help but hide a proud smile. In a way, he was lovable, that Natsu, even if he was a total pain in the ass most of the time.

He'd already taken to him, had he not?

His company was weirdly enjoyable.

So immersed was he in his thoughts that he almost missed Lucy's hand gingerly crawling over the table, a pensive, torn look in her eyes as it hovered over a crispy wing.

"It won't kill you," he informed her amusedly.

"You don't eat with your hands," she whispered, and it felt as if she was repeating someone else's words. Igneel furrowed his brows. She looked almost scared. But temptation shine brightly in her eyes, and when he gave her a reassuring smile, she decidedly reached down and plucked up a piece.

For a moment, she just froze, staring at her hand as if she was seeing it for the first time. Then, her gave split into a bright grin.

"You don't eat with your hands," she repeated, beaming. "But I'm doing it anyways!"

Whatever her weird little victory was about, Igneel felt it meant more to her than he could understand. Nonetheless, he was proud of her. It was a surprising feeling as he located it in his chest, yet it was there, glowing happily and warming his heart.

Lucy's small struggle had not gone unnoticed by Natsu either. But he, on the other hand, didn't possess any sensibility.

"What the hell is wrong with _you_ ," he lamented, biting a bone in half. It cracked loudly, and little splinters landed on the tablecloth.

Lucy simply glared at him, ripped out of her mental celebration.

"That's none of your business," she snapped, lifting her nose high as she turned her head away from him.

He just shrugged andcontinued to devour his piece of chicken whole. Tendons cracked under his sharp teeth just like bone, but he didn't even seem to notice as he licked his lips in satisfaction.

Lucy nibbled on her own meat far more carefully, but was indeed enlightened by the experience. Igneel really had been right.

This was amazing.

How did it taste better simply because she was holding it?

Deciding to postpone the search for the answer to this question, Lucy took a large, hearty bite, sighing in bliss as the delicious taste flooded her mouth. Suddenly she _wanted_ meat juice to trickle down her jaw.

Some forgotten, wild part of her roared excitedly, scenting freedom.

"After dinner its time to play!" Natsu suddenly declared with more enthusiasm than humanly possible.

"No way in hell I'm playing this...thing again," Lucy hissed, a piece of bone stuck between her teeth.

"But I'm so _bored_ all the time!" he protested, "You won't let me leave the apartment, so it's your _duty_ to entertain me."

Lucy cringed. Yes, Natsu leaving the apartment was the last thing either of them wanted. It was a miracle, really, that he had not yet attempted to do so. He seemed dead-set on not leaving their sides until either of them snapped.

If he kept this up, Lucy mused in frustration, his strategy might actually prove to be successful.

And while she listened to Natsu's graceless eating sounds, a new idea ripened in her mind. A way to get out of this gaming hell, at least for the time being.

She would buy him a playstation.

Then he could play all he wanted - by _himself_. If she was lucky, he'd maybe even drive himself insane while he was at it, and not her.

Natsu turned to Igneel. "You play too."

Exactly one hour was all she could bear. One hour of hell and repeated failure. Natsu laughed maniacally as he boxed Igneel's figurine off the board, securing the way to his goal. Lucy had lost her last, brave little player mere seconds ago. She'd have done it on purpose, if only that were possible. She needed to get away from this game.

And Natsu.

God, he really took _annoy the living daylights out of someone_ too literally for his own good. Or hers. Well, she guessed, he was quite good at his job in that case. He was a devil if ever she'd met one.

With freedom awaiting her, Lucy managed to rub the sleep out of her eyes as she got up.

"Well, I'll call it a day," she said as casually as possible, already mentally at her door. "Good night!"

"Wait, where do you think-"

But Lucy had dashed off.

She slammed the door to her place shut behind her mere moments later, breathing a sigh of relief.

* * *

That night, she dreamt of board game figurines chasing her through a maze where dark, black eyes were watching her every step, of being chased by flames and nameless horrors, of something _gnawing_ at her eyelids, something that wanted to get _inside_ her very being; of fire.

And then she awoke.

But it was not her alarm clock that had disturbed her slumber.

It was pitch black. The only sound was that of rustling sheets when she moved, and of… something else. It sounded like someone was eating. Lucy's mind felt heavy, and she blinked against the dizziness.

There, on the edge of her bed, someone was sitting in the dark.

With a scream, she sat up, feeling a piece of cucumber drop from her face, but barely registering it. Scrambling, she moved backwards, pulling the blanket closer around herself.

"Yo," the figure spoke, and Lucy wasn't sure if she should be relieved or _more_ scared.

This was Natsu's voice.

With a trembling hand, she reached out to where she knew the lightswitch of her little bedside lamp was. It clicked when she turned it on, shedding soft light onto her hand.

Natsu's deep red skin glowed faintly in the sparse light. He watched her indifferently, and then brought his hand to his mouth, taking another bite out of the cucumber slice he had stolen from her right eye.

Lucy exhaled a shaky breath, feeling rage bubble up inside her.

Natsu munched on his last bite, eyes already flickering to the piece that had fallen onto her blanket-covered knee. He licked his lips before grinning at her.

"Why do you sleep with food on your face?"

* * *

 _Hope you enjoyed! Ohoho, what's gonna happen?_

 _Thankyou ALL so much for reviewing, you put a hummongous smile on my face everytime i get a notification! :3_

 _Here's some answers for some more specific reviews!_

 **R: laxusdrayer2324**

 **OMGS! Natsu collects souls!? This is getting really awesome XD!**

A: Yes, he does! It was mentioned at the beginning of this chapter that has to 'collect' 100 souls to pass his "S-Class" exam and become a full fledged devil! ^-^

 **R: Sanvej**

A: You didn't ask anything, but thanks for leaving a more detailed review! I really appreciate it! :3

 **R: Avengerika**

 **This is weirdly ooc for Natsu but I'm liking the story so far. A bit confused but it's well written and the characters have s nice aura to them**

A: Well there are some hints here - Igneel only meeting Natsu _now_ , him being Zeref's brother and coming straight from literal hell - that might give you some clues as to why he's not really like the Natsu we were initially introduced to in FT ;) *hint hint*

 **R: NekoFro**

 **i love this! What do you mean by tainted anyway?**

A: Yay! Well, "not pure"? He needs to darken their hearts in order to be able to do anything to them, does it make more sense to you if I phrase it that way? You know, like it's said that the devil tempts priests to get them off the "holy path" and all that stuff :p Point is, he can't hurt good people. The devil's fair that way ;)

 **R: iamthewerepire**

 **Wow. Was there some tension between Natsu and Lucy than with Igneel? Or is that just me...?**

A: No. That's not just you. B))


	5. Chapter 5

This one is a long one! 3.6k words :O Nanowrimo is going quite well so far! Chapter 6 is on its way to completion ^-^

Thankyou so much for all the reviews! They really make me smile so much! Maybe we can hit the 100 with this chapter! :O

* * *

 **chapter 5:**

 _live in your world, play in ours_

* * *

"How did you get into my flat?!"

Natsu shrugged. "As if it's hard," he informed her before picking up the cucumber piece. A single, golden hair clung to it. He plucked it off before popping the piece into his mouth, and Lucy watched him do so in horror.

The sudden shock had driven the sleep right out of her, but now she found herself wishing that she was indeed still dreaming.

"Get out," she finally managed, voice laced with cold anger.

"But I like your place, Lucy," Natsu said, pulling his (dirty, no doubt) feet up onto her bed. "Besides, you haven't answered my question."

"What question?" she all but hissed, mind too preoccupied with the thought of black imprints on her pristine white sheets.

"Why do you sleep with food on your face?" he repeated, reaching out a curious finger to touch her yoghurt covered face. Needless to say, it never reached its destination - Lucy made sure of that. "You look like a ghost!"

"That's a beauty mask!" she whined as she slapped his hand away, "And it's not supposed to be eaten!"

"And here I was thinking I was doing you a favour all this time."

"All this time?!" Lucy shot up, almost bumping heads with him as she scooted closer. "Natsu, how many times have you been here?!"

"Oh, just a few," he shrugged, a sly little smile playing around his lips. "You really shouldn't waste food like that, you know. It's not gonna make you prettier."

The pillow smacked against his head before he knew it, and he yelped in surprise when she slammed it again.

"Rude!" she called as she continued smacking him off the bed, "Get out! Get out!"

All the times she had been looking for dried cucumber slices between her sheets, or when she had woken up with weird finger-shaped dents in her mask - it hadn't been her fault at all! Why, that-!

"Ouch! Lucy! It's not my fault that you're a food abuser!" he cried, finally jumping up off the bed. This time when she swung the pillow again, he grabbed it, and no amount of cursing and tugging on her part could free it. "So weird," he informed her with a menacing grin, and she jumped up much like he had done seconds before.

"I'm not weird! Stop saying that!"

"Well…" His eyes flicked over to her clock. "An adult having pillow fights at 3am… that's not very mature, don't you think?"

"I hate you," she growled.

"Good," he replied.

After taking a deep breath (during which, yes, she _did_ consider murder) Lucy slowly opened her eyes and let go of the pillow.

"Come with me," she instructed, and Natsu was left to follow her, the wind taken out of his sails. But he overtook her on her way, aiming straight for the kitchen at the far side of the living room. He wasn't sure if this was where she was heading too, or if she'd wanted to point him to the door - but it was not like he cared, either. He did as he pleased, and the rest of the world could damn well adjust to him.

Behind him, Lucy sighed. Of course he'd run straight to the kitchen. She wondered how many times he'd been here to know the place so well. This probably also explained the disappearing food in her fridge. Clenching her jaw, she glared at his back - and then her gaze dropped lower. To his behind, to be precise, and it had nothing to do with its wonderful shape. There, where his sweatpants was supposed to cover and and all private parts, a large, scraggy hole had been ripped into the fabric.

His tail danced proudly with every step he took, swaying from left to right. She could almost touch the swooshy little bit at the end. He had… ripped his sweatpants to make a hole for his tail.

Her eyes bugged at the sight, and she bit back an amused snort. A part of her screamed in outrage at the waste of _her_ money, but really, she didn't mind too much. It was a little... adorable.

Nonetheless, in that moment she was once more reminded of the fact that he was not human at all. It was so easily forgotten sometimes, when they shared meals in Igneel's flat almost like a weird little family. Despite his red skin and crude manners, Natsu had indeed become somewhat of a companion for her, their little meetings something she almost looked forward to on some days. In fact, she was thankful that Igneel had some more company - she really thought it did him good.

Not like she'd ever tell Natsu any of that - he usually made her regret such thoughts after mere minutes in his company, anyways.

Like right now, by breaking into her flat at 3am. Probably because he had been hungry, if she guessed right. Which was why she had wanted to go to the kitchen.

He eyed her expectantly as she trailed in after him, not even trying to surpress a hearty yawn. Her hair stood in almost as many directions as his, and she tried to smoothen it out a little on her way to the water boiler.

His eyes were sharp, assessing her every move as if to search for weaknesses.

Sometimes he really did remind her of a predator.

"Do you want some tea?"

"...sure," he accepted, eyes squinting in suspicion. She wasn't being nice to him, was she? Impossible. He had mocked and ridiculed her, waiting for her to lose it entirely and throw him out of the flat. This change of events took him by surprise, and he wasn't quite sure how to react.

Two steaming cups sat on the counter not much later, and a cross-legged devil sat on a barstool, grumbling at Lucy. She rubbed her tired eyes, but managed a sweet smile that had him inch back on his tiny chair.

"What's this about?" he growled.

"Well, since you woke me up I thought I could as well use the time," Lucy shrugged, testing the temperature of the cup with careful fingers before picking it up by the rim and placing it on her lap. "What host doesn't offer drinks to their guests?" she added after a second, irony dripping off her voice as she raised her brows at him.

He cackled, taking a sip of his scalding camomile tea. It tasted like water to him, but at least it was hot. He exhaled a little steam cloud, like he always did, and it still did not fail to make Lucy smile. The yoghurt on her face was dry, crumbling more and more with every expression she made. He wondered if she knew how ridiculous she looked. Probably not, or she would have already kicked him out, and her face would have been so red the yoghurt would have done nothing to conceal it, and would probably have melted right off.

He should point it out to her.

His face split into a malicious grin as he leaned forward, poking her nose.

He noticed how her eyes widened and her breath hitched when he moved closer, invading her personal space. He stored the information away.

His finger was all smudged when he pulled back, the white yoghurt a stark contrast to his red skin.

Lucy's eyes widened almost comically. She put the cup back onto the counter to gingerly feel her face, a low wail escaping her when she did. "My face is full of yoghurt…" she whispered, and his grin became even wider than before.

Jumping up from her chair, Lucy all but raced to the fridge. Natsu cocked his head in confusion, watching her search for something specific, it seemed. And then she whipped around, half a cucumber in hand. Before he could even react, she shoved it into his arms, turning him around as she started marching to the door.

"Take this," she squeezed out between clenched teeth, "and _leave_."

"Aw but Lucyyy!" Natsu complained, bright grin on his face even as the door came into sight. "We were having so much fun!"

She didn't grace his blatant lie with an answer, but shoved him out of the door instead.

The last thing he saw was a scrunched up yoghurt face squinting at him, and then he was left alone in the corridor with nothing but a cut-up cucumber in his hands.

"Good _night_ , Natsu!"

It was dark in the corridor.

Natsu took a bite out of his present. He laughed.

* * *

Yes, Lucy thought. She would definitely buy him a gaming console.

* * *

Lucy bought him a gaming console.

Torn pieces of paper were strewn all about the little room. It had been a messy store-room, but was now Natsu's - just as messy - new place to stay. He was sitting on the plain matress he used as a bed, holding up the console in a mixture of amazement and utter confusion. He had been delighted when Lucy had knocked and declared she had brought a present for him, as he had never received one before. He'd literally been bouncing when he had ripped it out of her hands.

"What is this?" he asked curiously, shaking the thing up and down.

"Careful!" Lucy reprimanded, already picturing her precious money going to waste in a million plastic splinters that rained down onto her; the relics of a gaming console that had fallen victim to Natsu's claws. But she would not let that happen - not when she had sacrificed an ungodly amount of money for the sake of her personal sanity!

"It's a Wii," she informed him.

Of course, this information did nothing to enlighten him. Laughing, Lucy motioned for him to follow her, making her way into the living room where Igneel was already plugging and unplugging cables behind the TV.

"We're good to go!" he informed the pair, "I just need the Wii and Natsu can play all he wants."

"Play?" Natsu asked, an excited lilt to his voice. But he was ignored.

"Are you sure it's not gonna blow up, Igneel?" Lucy teased, moving closer to inspect the cable Igneel was holding. He huffed in protest, shoving it into her hand.

"You do it, then" he grumbled, and went on to mutter something about 'young people' under his breath. Not even he was trusting himself with electricity anymore at this point, it seemed. Maybe because his last five inventions had all burned. Lucy giggled, turning to Natsu.

"Come here," she grinned, and he did what he was told, setting the chunk of plastic down between them with an amusing amount of care and attention. Igneel watched them from his place on the couch, still grumbling under his breath.

An hour later, all three were glued to the screen.

"Ahh! Lucy! Help me!"

"How can I help you?! You're the one playing! Kill it!" Lucy screeched, trying to push Natsu away as he clung to her shirt.

"There's another one on your left, Natsu!" Igneel warned, ripping the controller out of Natsu's hand. "Here, let me- how do I use this thing?!"

"Give it back, old fart! I will destroy the zombie!" Natsu screamed, trying to snatch the control back while Lucy sat amidst the two fighting fools, hand on her face.

"Maybe…" she started after the heroine had died and Natsu and Igneel were both left in tears of defeat, "Maybe we should play something else. I bought another controller and another game that is totally harmless!"

"What is it?" Natsu asked, eyes squinting. "Does it have these 'zombies'?"

"No."

"Okay." He relaxed. "What kinda weird invention are these anyways? Not even us devils could come up with something that crazy. Dead humans eating brains…" He shook his head in disdain.

"Let's play that other game, then," Igneel agreed. "I'll let you two go first. What's it called, love?"

"Mario Kart."

* * *

"I eat my words!" Natsu screeched, "Zombies are just fine! But this! This _game-_ "

"Someone's a sore loser," Lucy mocked, repeating the words he had flung in her face a million times, "Is it because you've lost the third time in a row?"

"I didn't know this game had _transportation_ ," he spat, clutching his stomach and pushing further back into the couch as if he wished it would swallow him whole.

"Wait," Lucy snorted, almost dropping the controller as she turned to face him, "Was that why you acted so weird all of a sudden? You… don't like transportation? You get motion-sick just from _pretending_ to be in a car?"

Beside her, Igneel got up. "I'll fetch him a glass of water before he pukes all over my carpet. His face is all green."

"It's not!" Natsu lied in vain, "And I'm not motion sick either! Your food is just bad!"

"Natsu," Lucy soothed, mirth replaced by pity as she moved a hand to his stomach. "Slow down. You really are a little pale."

Beneath a layer of soot, the usually bright red skin of Natsu's cheeks had lost a considerable amount of colour. His cheeks bulged as he winced, doubling over into a ball of pain and misery.

With an empathic smile, Lucy placed her controller onto the table beside his, placing a hand on his back to rub large circles onto his shirt.

"Stop," he groaned, and she stopped, confused.

"Am I hurting you? Wait, there's a blanket somewhere..."

"Stop being so _nice_ ," he whimpered, and Lucy halted. Slowly, she glanced over at Natsu, who had his eyes closed. He dragged a pillow over his head, and she almost couldn't make out his next words. "It's no fun destroying your lives if you're so goddamn nice."

She couldn't help but smile softly at his accusing words, scooting a little closer.

"I'm nice," she said, patting his back once more, "because you're really not as bad as you wish you were."

"You don't know that…" he murmured. She ignored his words even as a chill ran down her spine. His voice had sounded different, more solemn, almost as if he was warning her of something.

Lucy found a blanket in a shelf behind the couch, and she brought it back to him even as her thoughts followed confusing and distracting paths. As she spread it over his limp form, she wondered if Igneel was deliberately taking his time.

Natsu shifted, surprised at the sudden warmth. Nonetheless he accepted it, cuddling into the blanket. He cracked one eye open. "I'm a devil, Lucy."

The words hung between them for a moment.

"I know," she smiled, tugging the blanket up to his chin. "Who says all devils are bad?"

He looked away then, a small pout forming on his face. "I just meant I don't get cold."

"Then give back the blanket."

"No."

Giggling, Lucy sat back onto the couch, reactivating her controller and selecting a new lap. "Igneel?" she called, and promptly he appeared in the doorframe with a tray. He so had been waiting. She'd have to scold him for that later, if she found the time. "Are you up for a match? Looks like I defeated Natsu for good."

A grumble erupted from the blanket pile, and both inventor and neighbour laughed.

The tray held the promised glass of water aswell as three cups of tea, and some biscuits. Sure enough, Natsu stirred to new life, sitting back up but never leaving his armor of blanket. Igneel took his seat on the right side of the couch, leaving Natsu jammed between the two of them.

"I choose… rainbow road!" Lucy called excitedly, "It looks so pretty!"

"Doesn't matter what it looks like to me - I'll beat you either way!" Igneel boasted. "...as soon as you tell me how to play it."

Beside him, Natsu nibbled on a cookie, slowly regaining colour. "Stupid…" he muttered, only to be smacked on the back of the head by the man beside him.

"Boys," Lucy sighed, "Don't be so childish."

"We're not!" they protested in unison, and Lucy simply gave them a look that made them both exchange ashamed glances.

The first time, Lucy lost. Not because Igneel had been necessarily better than her, but simply because she simply couldn't manage to stay on the track. At all. Natsu cackled, following the battle as well as he could - every time he looked back at the screen, his stomach protested audibly.

The second time, Lucy lost. Igneel had learned about the usefullness of turtle shells.

The third time, Lucy lost. Because Igneel got the hang of this game faster than she would have liked. Every time she lost, Natsu's weak laughter would ring in her left ear.

He gulped down his tea happily.

After the tenth time, Lucy almost threw the controller across the room. The only thing that kept her from screaming out loud was the fact that Natsu had started snoring softly. She glared at Igneel, who answered with an unashamed grin.

It was then that Natsu slipped off the backrest, head landing softly on Lucy's shoulder. She stiffened, eyes widening as he continued happily snoring into her neck. Igneel's grin only spread further. He motioned first towards the clock and then towards the bathroom, mouthing that he would go get changed. Despite Lucy's intense eye-protest, he got up.

It was 1am.

Inwardly, Lucy groaned. Work would be a blast tomorrow. And curse Igneel for leaving her here with Natsu. What did he think he was doing? Playing match-maker?

Lucy furrowed her brows, confused that the thought had even occured to her. She glanced down at the pink-haired, red-skinned man that had started drooling onto her shirt. He looked peaceful now, almost like a young boy.

But Natsu was a devil. He had made sure to remind her of that on more than one occasion. Despite that, he was a true pain most of the days, either way. Shaking her head, she pushed away even the inklings of such thoughts.

Nonetheless, she didn't move.

Her eyes kept flicking to the little horns poking out of his mane of pink hair, the urge to touch them almost overwhelming.

Only when Igneel stepped out of the bathroom in pyjamas (with fire print, as expected) did she startle from her surprisingly comfortable position, realizing she had almost dozed off with Natsu's comfortable warmth pressed against her.

Hastily getting up, she let Natsu drop onto the couch. He grumbled in his sleep, a disapproving scowl on his face for a moment, before he sighed and turned to face the backrest. Lucy exhaled the breath she had been holding in.

Igneel was looking at her with an infuriatingly knowing smile on his face.

"What," she quietly spat as she marched past him, and he chuckled. "Don't even think about it!"

"About what, love?"

She turned one last time, rolling her eyes at him, before marching to the front door.

Igneel stood in the corridor for a moment longer, quizzically staring at the closed door and then at the sleeping boy on his couch, left alone with his thoughts. Then he went to his bedroom and turned off the light.

* * *

It was pitch-black when Natsu awoke.

But his senses were as sharp as his eyes, and he didn't have to shake off any sleep before his brain started working properly. Nothing moved in the room, except the blanket covering him, every time he moved. Lucy had given this to him. He'd fallen asleep perched between her and Igneel.

Cursing, Natsu sat up.

Why did he keep slipping up like this? Letting his guard down, forgetting about his purpose…

The soft blanket sizzled where he gripped it.

He glared down at it as if it was responsible for his wrongdoings, spiking his temperature until he had burned two fist-sized holes into it. Whatever it was that was happening to him, it couldn't be good.

He couldn't forget about why he was here. He couldn't forget about the exam.

Shit, becoming a full-fledged devil was all he had ever wanted. Now his time had finally come, and he had spent weeks on earth without tainting a single soul?

Worse, the thought of killing either Igneel or Lucy seemed less appealing to him the more time he spent with them. The thought of tainting them… watching them spiral into despair, it did nothing to lift his heart. Natsu clenched his teeth.

What the fuck were they doing to him?

Nobody had warned him about this. They had been taught about humans, about ways to taunt them, shake their beliefs, seduce and influence them. They had learned to strike when the right time had come.

But this wasn't practice or theory. Humans were more than what he had been told.

For the first time in his life, Natsu found himself wondering _why_ they had to taint people.

Wasn't it enough to punish the sinners?

But the thoughts stirring inside him only added to his confusion and anger, so he pushed them away, just like the blanket still resting on his lap. He angrily stepped on it as it fluttered to the ground.

 _If they are weak enough to become tainted, they deserve it._

He remembered his brother's words now, quietly repeating them to himself.

Maybe it was time to see what humans really were made of.

Natsu remembered Lucy's reactions to him, the way her eyes widened when he poked her nose, the way her gaze clung to his body every time he undressed, before she started screaming about indecency. The way she tried to hide her blushes every time he came too close. He remembered the lessons he had been taught. Even if the lessons about seduction had been his least favourite - and subsequently, worst - discipline, he suspected Lucy would be an easy enough target.

They were fools to think he could be so easily tamed. Oh, he would make them regret ever misleading him, dragging him along his nose as if he were a lapdog.

He would make sure to pass his exam, no matter the cost.

They thought he was warming up to them?

Good. Let them live in false security.

* * *

 **Dundunduuun. You didn't think it'd be that easy, huh? Can't stay happy go lucky 24/7 can it? B) Natsu needs some struggleee.**

On to some reviews!

Q: **laxusdrayer2324** : Natsu is sure enjoying himself!l wonder what Lucy meant by advocate? Thanks for updating I love this !*

 _A: Oh, it's an idiom! 'to play the devil's advocate' usually means defending a bad thing, to put it simply haha._

Q: AnonymousStalkerFriend : OK I literally just realized this but, is the 100 souls thing a refrence to Soul Eater? BYE-BYE

 _A: : D Sorry to disappoint but I've never read/watched SE at all, actually._

Q: **keltieful**

 _A: Ahhh I'm really happy you're enjoying the characterizations and everything! Thankyou so much! o/o_

Q: **Snavej:** so was Lucy fighting against her upbringing as a young lady who doesn't use her fingers?

A: _( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_

Q: **faith:** Ohh wait is it supposed to be like when igneel first found natsu in ft and he raises him? Or am I thinking too hard? Idk! I looooove iiiitttt!

A: _( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_ _( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_ _( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_


	6. Chapter 6

__This chapter turned out suuperlong (4.8k) for some reason haha so I split it up! This week you're getting two updates! Watch out for the other one on Saturday ^-^__

 ** _ _Thankyou for 100 reviews! After 5 chapters, that's definitely a record for me! Couldn't have done it without you guys, your encouragement motivates me so much! -3-__**

* * *

 **Chapter 6:**

 _if you give a mouse a cookie_

* * *

"What do you mean, baby-sit him?!"

Igneel's red hair danced gleefully as he nodded like a madman, shifting from one foot to the other. The corridor seemed to have expanded, making him seem small and lost as he stood in front of her. Lucy looked even more lost as she stood in her doorframe, her hair up in a messy bun to keep it from falling into her freshly painted face, one earring dangling from her right ear and the other still in her hand.

"I completely forgot about the conference until Gildarts called me yesterday evening. _Please_ , Lucy? It's really important for me."

"But- but I have a dinner date with my friend Cana, and-"

"The taxi will be here in 5 minutes."

"What do you mean, the taxi will be here in 5 minutes?!"

"You're really a lifesaver, Lucy!" Igneel praised, grabbing her free hand and shaking it vigorously. "What would I do without you?"

"But, Igneel-"

The sudden honking of a taxi interrupted her once again, and her shoulders sagged. "I didn't agree yet, you know," she protested weakly, well knowing she had lost entirely.

"Oh, look, it arrived early! Haha!" His laugh sounded distressed at best, and Lucy got a feeling he had known very well when it would arrive. His face turned serious in a heartbeat, eyes pleading in desperation and voice merely above a whisper. "I can't take him, Lucy."

"Oh good gods, you really can't," she agreed with wide eyes, attempting to picture Natsu at a conference full of inventors and their inventions. It was a sight that spelled disaster. Now that her fate was sealed either way, she understood Igneel all too well.

"This annual conference is the highlight of my year, and I _really_ need to seal the deal on this contract I've been negotiating. Plus-" He lowered his voice, leaning in closer, "He's been _horrible_ these past days. I don't know what got into him. Something's wrong, maybe you can fix it."

"You're not exactly encouraging me to look after him! Fix it?! You know he has the ears of a lynx, right? He can hear you," she hissed, suddenly straightening. "Where is he, anyways?"

"What do you mean, where is he? He was right behind me."

"Well he's not," Lucy stated.

While the words left her mouth, Igneel's eyes fixed onto something behind her. The taxi honked again. Something flashed in his eyes, and she knew exactly what it was: the chance of escape.

"Well, I'll be going," he laughed, picking up the suitcase at his side, "Have fun!"

Igneel lifted a hand to wave goodbye, about to turn. He paused.

"And if you could get him to shower, that'd be great."

"Wh-"

But he was already disappearing down the corridor, leaving behind a dumbstruck and slightly terrified Lucy.

A Lucy who was currently seeing her life pass before her mind's eye, because how could he leave her alone with Natsu for a whole weekend? In _her_ flat, nonetheless!

This was dangerous.

In more ways than one. And _something_ would definitely burn by the end of it.

"What's that worried face for, Lu?"

As Lucy spun around to find Natsu standing behind her in her corridor, her lips curled downwards. "Ew, Natsu, you smell."

"Not as bad as your armpits," he retorted without losing a beat, watching in saitsfaction as Lucy tried to casually smell said armpits, face as pale as the morning frost that had started to settle on the windows these past days. He snorted when she actually lifted her arm for better access, and she froze when she noticed what she was doing.

"Idiot," she hissed without real menace, pushing past him and leaving it to him to close the door. Of course he didn't. But she would not notice that until half an hour later.

For now, Lucy rummaged through the chest where she kept spare blankets and pillows, providing him with one each - matching, both in pink with a flower print.

To her disappointment, her intended stab went unnoticed. Natsu eyed the bedding in his hands curiously, even holding it up to his hair to compare colours when she was not looking. They matched surprisingly well, and he promptly rolled himself into one, effectively turning into a devil chameleon. He was about to prance on Lucy when he remembered that he had sworn to not show any signs of sympathy unless it went along with his secret mission.

A whole weekend alone with Lucy - what better time was there to finally put his plan into motion? When Igneel had brought up the conference, Natsu had jumped at the chance, agreeing all too willingly to let himself be baby-sat. If Igneel had noticed, he hadn't said anything. For whatever reason, the man seemed to approve of him spending time with Lucy. Maybe they had been planning this all along - to woo the stupid devil.

He would not let himself be fooled by either one's niceness any longer - he would only play nice for tactical reasons. Right now was not such a time. Not yet.

Ignoring the unwanted disappointment he felt, Natsu unwrapped himself and merely used the blanket as a cape. When she turned around, his face had turned to stone, lips a thin line.

"What's gotten into you?" Lucy asked with an amused curl to her lips, faltering when he continued glaring at her. "Natsu?"

For a moment there, she thought she had seen hatred blaze in his eyes, and it had filled her with confusion, and even a little of a now almost unfamiliar fear. But most of all, she had felt a surge of disappointment. She had really thought that maybe, just maybe, they had finally found a way through to him. This single glance smashed all her hopes in an instant.

His walls were up. Breaking them down over and over had left her with nothing but bleeding hands.

She sighed, feeling dejected.

"You can sleep on the couch," she mumbled, turning her back on him. The last thing she wanted was for him to see the sadness on her face.

Natsu was relieved for the exact same reason. Damn, why was this harder than he thought it would be?

These people meant nothing to him.

Nothing.

"I'll call my friend to tell her I can't make it," Lucy told him before leaving the room. She resisted the urge to forbid him to sit on the couch before he had not showered, well knowing that with Natsu, this tactic was damned to failure. The more you did not want him to do something, the higher were the chances that he would do just that.

Natsu was left behind in the living room, an odd feeling settling in his chest. He didn't like it. It made him feel bad.

He looked arund the room, unsure of what to do. It was rare that either of them just left him alone, but now that Igneel was out of the picture he figured Lucy couldn''t follow his every step for three days. Good.

Finally, he chose to sprawl out on the couch for now, listening to Lucy make up excuses over the phone in the room next door. She was a surprisingly good liar.

She didn't come back into the room. Natsu frowned. For a while he lounged on the couch, but when he felt his eyelids droop, he jumped up to stretch. He busied himself with hiding the remote control in the bookshelf, and other little shenanigans.

Sounds kept drifting over to him, of her shuffling and sighing and breathing, and of bookpages turning. He wasn't quite sure why he didn't go to her. Why he'd been avoiding her lately. She did weird things to him, things he didn't understand himself at times.

It was like when he was with her, (and with Igneel, too, but the man wasn't at the forefront of his mind right now) he felt lighter, happier, as if any obligations and threats hanging over him simply vanished. He felt weirdly at home. And he hated it.

He hated it more with each passing day, because with every word and smile and kind deed they kept digging into him, and he found himself to be defenseless.

Defenseless was not something he liked to be.

So he had to get rid of them.

It was then that the smell of frying onions drifted over to him, and it took him less than a second to decide that any devious plans and evil thoughts could well wait until _after_ dinner.

* * *

"So, Natsu, why don't you take a shower after dinner?" Lucy's voice was sweet as honey as she piled a second serving onto his plate. He dug in greedily, sucking the spaghetti into his mouth like a vacuum cleaner and effectively splattering tomato sauce all over the table - and even into Lucy's face.

Still smiling (boy, she could be almost as scary as his old friend with the flaming locks - what had been her name again?) she wiped them off without blinking.

"No," he informed her. There was nothing he hated as much as being clean. It was not suited for a devil.

"You can use up all the hot water," she offered, carefully rolling her pasta into a nice circle on her spoon.

Natsu was about to refuse again when he suddenly stopped mid-sucking. The spaghetti hung almost comically out of his mouth as he sat frozen, blinking once, then twice.

"Okay," he said.

Lucy eyed him with a mixture of shock, disbelief and slight amusement. For a moment she considered asking about his sudden change of mind, but she was not going to play with her luck - or the devil, for that matter. She had done enough of that, quite literally so.

Lucy bit back a smile, chewing on her food.

"Okay," she agreed.

She didn't know that his sudden reconsideration had to do with the fact that showering usually involved being naked. And that being naked was an excellent starting point for Natsu's little mission.

For the next minute, nothing but Natsu's graceless eating sounds filled the litte kitchen.

"Oi, pass me the sauce."

"No, Natsu, I will not pass you the sauce if you-"

The door bell interrupted Lucy mid-sentence. Her eyes became as wide as the soup plate in front of her. A low curse passed her lips, and Natsu smirked at her.

"Oh _god_ ," she wailed, "What am I gonna do?"

"I don't think you're directing that question at the right guy, Lucy," Natsu interrupted with a cocky grin, "You have a devil right here."

"Wh- Natsu, I don't have time for your stupid jokes! You have to hide! I think I know who-"

"Luucy," Natsu drawled, calmness personified as he leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms behind his head. "I wasn't kidding, don't worry."

"What do you mean?"

"I am willing to help you," he informed her casually, "Not because I like you or anything. But it's in my interest too."

"Stop being secretive," she hissed, clutching her cutlery, "Spill the beans already!"

"Well," Natsu dragged a thumb along his bottom lip, sitting upright in his chair as he stuck up his nose. "Did you think devils had no tricks up their sleeves? Spells, magic…"

Lucy's eyes grew wide, and she leaned closer, almost dipping her hair in the bolognese. "So…?" After a short pause, she added, "Don't you dare turn my friend into a frog or something."

Natsu snorted. "Well, I was gonna try _myself_ , but actually…"

"Oh!" Lucy almost shouted, excitement blazing in her eyes. "Can you become invisible? Or transport yourself?"

Natsu puffed his cheeks and crossed his arms. That reaction alone was enough for Lucy to deduct he could, in fact, do neither of these things, and her shoulders slumped.

"Well… I can do some basic transformation spells," Natsu conceded reluctantly, "Small things and all." He turned his head, an all too familiar pout on his face. "The big spells are only for devils who completed their training. Not like I couldn't _do_ them. It's just not allowed."

Lucy couldn't deny her curiosity. "You don't seem like someone who would follow rules."

Natsu shrugged. "I tried once," he told her, but didn't give any more information. Something in the way he shrank together made her feel sick to the stomach, but she didn't push on further.

They didn't have time, anyways.

"Okay, so you can transform into something small, right! Let's do this!"

The doorbell rang again, and Natsu spun around with sudden new energy, parading around the table. "Damn sure I can! Watch me, Lucy!"

Adapting a wide stance, Natsu stood on the opposite side of the table, facing her. He took a deep breath, puffing his cheeks before releasing the air through his nose.

"Red as fire, strong as fire,

Fire is something I admire,

A little fire is the key,

A fire dragon I shall be!"

He vanished in a cloud of smoke, a small _puff_ resounding through the room.

As much as the words 'fire dragon' had terrified her (not to mention the repeated over-usage of the word fire - something gave her the feeling Natsu had invented this spell by himself), what Lucy saw when the smoke cleared provoked a completely contrary feeling. There, on her living room table, sat a tiny red lizard.

It coughed out a cloud of smoke, and Lucy's heart melted into a puddle.

The lizard seemed weirdly surprised - as far as lizards could actually look surprised - and Lucy wondered if he was surprised he had accomplished the spell, or if he had actually expected to turn into a dragon despite his earlier words. The latter, probably, if she knew Natsu.

"I can't believe this." Lucy's eyes were as wide as Natsu's lizard head as she rounded the table and leaned in closer. "Do you- Do you have _horns_?"

She clasped a hand over her mouth and the horned lizard did its best to glare at her. It resulted a little hard with the lack of human facial features, and finally it opted for poking out its split tongue instead. Lucy was trying her best to hold her laughter in.

"You're… so cute!" she finally squealed, causing the lizard to almost fling itself off the table in its attempt to jump at her. "Careful!"

Carefully lifting him up, Lucy watched him struggle in her hand for a moment before putting him down onto the floor. "Okay, hide!" she whispered urgently, finally dashing off towards the door.

* * *

Thankyou so much for all the reviews again! We hit 100! You're all amazing! ;3; *smooch* Let's keep it going yay!

 **R: Animallover:** Are any other demons or humans going to be introduced?

 **R: Akela-Nakamura** : Hey, is the rest of the FT gang gonna get dragged into this? XD

 **A:** Well you saw one today ;) And someone we all know was mentioned, so she might come up again eh?

 **R: NekoFro:** more more more. And why DO they need to taint them and what's this exam thing about?

 **A:** I already explained what the exam is about in the fic ^-^ He needs to pass it to become a, let's say, full-fledged devil, haha. As for why they need to taint people... well, they're devils. That's pretty much the core purpose of the devil, isn't it? Tempting, tainting, punishing sinners...

Also a guest left me a superlong review that was so long it got cut by my email, but when I went to look on here it didn't appear -_- I think FF likes to eat guest reviews sometimes, but I'll keep an eye out in case it appears! It seemed very thought-out and insightful and I really appreciate it!


	7. Chapter 7

And here's the second part of chapter 6! I'm glad you're enjoying it! This one has a little more nalus B)))

Also I'm currently writing Chapter 9, so it looks like your updates will remain regular for at least a while longer! I really hope I can see them through to the end!

As always, please consider leaving a review for the story, because nothing brightens my day more than your kind words! ^-^

* * *

 **chapter 6:**

 _if you give a mouse a cookie_

* * *

She didn't have time to process the insanity that had just taken place at her dining table.

Straightening her hair and clothes one last time after she had made it to the door, she finally opened it. The woman waiting on the other side had her hand raised, stopped in the process of knocking.

"Finally," she exclaimed, retracting her hand to comb it through a curly mane of maroon hair, "I was about to kick the damned door in!"

"How did I know it was you, Cana?" Lucy sighed, smiling at her friend.

"Because you know I wouldn't let my sick friend suffer alone at home on a friday night?" Cana winked, moving in to hug Lucy to her chest just a little too closely. After an extended moment had passed, Lucy cleared her throat, rolling her eyes when Cana wiggled against her chest one last time before pulling back with a smirk.

"Soft as ever," she grinned, but then a thought seemed to occur to her. "By the way, what was that weird bang?"

Lucy paled. "I, uh, tripped."

"Lucy, are you okay? You really do look pale! Did you hurt yourself?"

"Oh, no no," Lucy laughed weakly, "I'm all fine! Except, of course, the headache. And all."

Cana gave her a weird look, but then shrugged. "Oh well. Look, I brought you a pretzel. And some of my number one medicine!"

"Cana, that's a bottle of wine."

"Exactly," Cana grinned, waving the bottle in her face before making her way to the living room. There, she sniffed the air in confusion. "Why the hell does it smell like sulfur in here?"

"Oh. Uh. That's… matches! I used almost a whole pack trying to get the stove to work, it was acting up again," Lucy lied, scanning the room for anything small and red. Whe she found nothing, she relaxed.

Cana snorted. "Really, Lucy, are you sure you're not a witch?"

Lucy joined in on her laughter, hoping Cana was finally done with her assessments. It would probably be a good idea to remind her of the wine. In the year Lucy had known her, she had learned that usually proved to be effective.

"So about your medicine…" Lucy grinned. "Should I fetch us some glasses?"

"Oh boy, you really need it, huh? I promise you'll be cured in no time," Cana laughed as she sat down on the couch while Lucy went to the kitchen and back. Under no circumstances could she let Cana go in there - the table was still laid, and for two people. Cana would undoubtedly come to only one conclusion - and would probably raid her closet in an attempt to find a naked man hiding in it.

(Still no red lizard sightings. Despite her relief she was curious as to where the little bastard had crawled to.)

* * *

"Oh, you wouldn't believe it," she confessed with a roll of her eyes, sitting down beside Cana and setting two delicate wine glasses onto the table. "Pour me a big one."

Cana's eyes were curious as they scanned Lucy's face.

"And what happened to you," she inquired with a sly twinkle in her eyes, "Don't tell me you have someone?"

"Wh-what! No, it's nothing like that!"

Right below them, not even an arm's length away, a little red lizard snickered to itself. It rested beside an crumpled chocolate bar wrapping and a ball of dust, exactly the spot that was hardest to reach beneath the couch.

Had anyone seen it, they would have described it as a very proud and self-pleased looking animal. Quite dusty too, around the edges, because it had become stuck in a spiderweb on its journey. The hungry spider had gotten a nasty surprise, though, and would now no longer be getting any surprises. Ever. The little lizard burped.

Then it wondered why it felt _happy_ about Cana's assumption and Lucy's embarassment.

And not in the way it had felt happy about it moments before, not because her embarassment confirmed that she was aware of him as a man and he could indeed use his body to his advantage. No, he felt happy because… she liked him? The thought of her feeling something for him to the point she became embarassed, anything at all, be it romantic or sexual or even platonic, it made him feel happy? It should not make him feel anything at all.

"Oh don't you try to hide it from me," Cana continued, tapping her nose, "I have a detector for these things, you know. The Cana Radar 6.0."

"Oh you can't be serious. You sound like Igneel!"

"Oh, that odd inventor that lives next door? The one you always tell me about, with the insane inventions?"

"Yes," Lucy laughed. "He's a great guy, really."

Cana's face dropped. "Wait, don't tell me it's him!"

"Oh my god! Cana! No!" Lucy yelped, slapping her hands over her eyes as if that could make the images go away. "How could you! I can never unsee this!"

Cana shrugged, chuckling. "Well, I wouldn't know. Is he attractive?"

Lucy lowered her hands to glare at her friend in amusement. "Oh don't you dare, he's like a father to me! Besides, I'm pretty sure you have a girlfriend at the moment," she grinned.

"Sure do," Cana agreed, and then added with a wink, "And you know you'd be the next in line, either way."

Lucy chuckled, shaking her head at Cana's usual flirting. She took a big sip of her wine, feeling it warm her lungs. Maybe it wasn't such a bad medicine after all - even if she wasn't ill at all. You could never be careful enough with sickness prevention.

"Careful, or one of these days I might take you up on your offer," she replied with a cheeky grin, placing the glass back onto the low living room table.

"You know, I'd ask Juvia to join if she weren't so shy. You are too, for that matter." Cana's grin spread as she licked her lower lip. "But seriously, it's been ages since you had anyone!"

Lucy made a grumpy face in response.

Well, this knowledge only strengthened Natsu's resolve. (And _why the hell_ was he happy about that too?!)

This little secret undertaking proved to be very informative. Who would have thought Lucy could be so flirtatious? It was a side to her that he had only seen small hints of before. But it didn't really surprise him much, either. There was something wild slumbering beneath her well-behaved and restrained surface. And oh, did he want to set it free.

This Cana person was quite to his liking, too. Lucy could keep her.

The two women kept talking and talking, and soon Natsu found himself zoning out, even dozing off on more than one occasion. Just how long could they keep at this?

Only when the couch above him shifted did he startle, jumping into the chocolate bar wrapping. There were some crumbs inside, and he hungrily nibbled on them as he concentrated on the conversation still going on above him once again.

"Oh no, the wine is empty!" Cana wailed. "Lucy, do you have another in the fridge by any chance?"

"No," Lucy hastily denied, "Nothing in the kitchen at all. Besides-" She gave a hearty yawn, stretching her arms above her head. "-I'm actually quite tired now."

"Oh, that's right! You should really sleep off that headache."

"Yeah, as if that will work with half a bottle of wine coursing through my veins," Lucy hiccuped. "Oh god, I'll be _dead_ tomorrow."

Cana giggled rather evilly, and Natsu watched as two pair of feet touched the ground in front of him. "I'll leave you, then. But I really gotta pee before I go."

" _First_ door on the left," Lucy informed her, "First, not second."

"Yes yes, I got it. First. Jeeze, you sound like you're hiding a corpse in the second."

Lucy laughed weakly. The second to the left was the kitchen. A corpse was not exactly what she was hiding. It was the opposite, really, with how lively and fidgety Natsu was. Actually, she might have preferred a corpse.

She giggled, alone in the living room, and leaned back into the soft couch.

Something tickled her knee.

Without thinking, she tried scratching the itch. But then her fingertips brushed against something she had not been expecting, something soft and scaly. And then the something bit her finger.

Lucy bit back a surprised yelp in the very last moment, incredulously staring at the lizard climbing her knee. His little talons dug into her jeans with every step, sometimes scratching the soft skin below the fabric.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed, and could have sworn the lizard _grinned_.

Their eyes locked.

In that moment, they heard the door to the bathroom open. It took Lucy a fraction of a second to decide her next move, and in this very fraction Natsu felt his heart drop. He had seen fire and death in her eyes. She grabbed his little body, yanking him off her leg, and with a desperate cry on his part, Natsu was sent flying towards the flower pot beside the couch. He hit the large philodendron, dropped off the leaf and landed on a root instead of the soft earth right beside it.

Lucy saw none of that, having already turned away and trying to look completely casual, as if she had not just flung a horned lizard across her living room.

Cana sauntered back into the room mere seconds later.

"Are you sure you don't have a secret boyfriend?" Cana asked with a grin, taking her jacket off the hook beside the door.

"W-what makes you think that?" Shit. Had she seen something after all?

Cana shrugged. "Ah, there's a cute guy I could introduce to you, you know. I met him at work."

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Lucy laughed, trying to hide her relief. "You don't have to play matchmaker for me, you know. I'm actually quite happy by myself at the moment."

"Yeah yeah, they all say that - and then they're in love before they know it," Cana laughed, hand on the doorknob. "Look at me!"

Lucy smiled fondly. "Yeah, look at you. Now leave!"

Cana laughed as she hugged her goodbye, kissing her cheek before leaving the flat and rounding the corner down the hallway. Lucy closed the door.

Then she leaned back against it, breathing a loud sigh of relief.

"Natsu?" she finally asked. "You're alive, aren't you?"

A familiar puff confirmed what she had known, and seconds later a tousled head of pink hair appeared behind the far side of her couch.

"You're a monster!"

"Says the devil," she chuckled. The laughter died on her lips, however, as Natsu got up. There still was an angry glare etched into his face, but it was lost on Lucy entirely. Because, once again (how many times had it been?) Natsu stood in front of her in all his naked glory. Oh and it was glory indeed. Clearing her throat - to squeal - Lucy whirled around.

It did not help that she was tipsy, too. Her face flushed a deep shade of red.

And then her breathing stopped altogether when she heard him walking towards her.

He was _naked_.

"What's wrong, Lu?" he purred, and she was sure she had never heard his voice like this before, or had been called this nickname. He certainly didn't sound as pissed as he had looked moments before.

What was happening now?

Naked.

He was standing behind her now, poking a finger between her shoulderblades. Lucy froze when he leaned his head in closer, until she could feel his breath fanning against her right ear.

He was naked. Completely naked. Standing behind her naked.

"You're naked," she cheeped, hoping the fact might have escaped him.

"I've been naked a lot of times," he spoke into her ear, "I like being naked."

But never before had she reacted in this way. And he knew it.

Was he _playing_ with her?!

Oh, they could play if he wanted to play. The alcohol made her brave, and she spun around to clutch his head between her hands. She pointedly avoided even a single glance downwards, focusing solely on his black eyes. Which might have been a mistake.

For a moment she forgot what she had been planning to do, staring into the bottomless orbs. They were sparkling, despite the surprise that was written across his face. A bright, familiar grin settled on his face, and she almost felt happy that she had finally gotten a glimpse at the Natsu she knew, had he not been acting to completely different in every other way. His eyelids drooped.

"Oh?" he spoke.

Lucy leaned in closer, eyes squinting and hands gripping the sides of his face firmly.

His skin was hot. Now that she was closer to his face than she had ever been, she let her eyes roam for a split second, over ruby skin, slanted eyes, a slighty crooked nose, strong jawbones - and she liked what she saw. Then she pulled herself together.

"Get - a - towel, " she commanded calmly, turning his head to the right to make his body follow. "It's time for your shower."

" _What_ ," he complained with a low whine, taken completely by surpise and dropping his charade before he could think better of it, "But Lucy! I hate showers!"

He let himself be pushed towards the bathroom nonetheless.

His tail tickled her belly as they walked, brushing from left to right and up and down in a manner that made it impossible to believe that he was not doing it on purpose.

Natsu grinned to himself, feeling the muscles of her stomach contract even through the fabric of her shirt. Ticklish, too. What a weak human she was.

He guessed now that he had started Mission Seduce Lucy, he could be nice to her again. It only made sense, and would definitely work in his favour.

Somewhere deep inside, he knew he was happy that he could use his plan of being nice as an excuse to _actually_ be nice. Really, he just wanted to be with her like before.

But he couldn't admit that to himself.

* * *

 **Natsu's struggle continues. Don't worry, this story will be about more than just his manpain. ;) (I'm such a sucker for manpain though, no regrets.)  
**

 **And time for some more review talk!**

First off, because I forgot commenting on this in the reviews last time: I am a disgrace. I know Mario Kart is a Nintendo only game, I don't know what I was thinking. *covers eyes* I wrote it as 'gaming console' first, but then decided that Playstation simply sounded nicer so I changed it. Agh. We have an Xbox and Wii at home, so I really should have paid more attention omg. :'D I will change it even if it disrupts the wordflow, for the sake of accuracy! Hahaha. Forgive.

Oh, and, before you ask: No, I don't hate Gruvia. I just happen to enjoy the Juvana crackship and seeing as neither Gray nor Juvia will play an actual role in this fic, I decided to pair her with Cana. ;) If you don't like it, ignore it. It's of no importance to the story.

 **R: Guest Mirai**

 **A** : Ahh omg thankyou so so much for this detailed and thoughtful review! It finally showed up! I love that you are having all these questions, because they are, in fact, exactly the questions I want you all to be asking. B)  
And yes I admit I kinda dragged the beginning/first act out a little, but that was totally self-indulgent. I wanted to keep the happiness while it lasted... :D *dramatic foreboding music* Okay, and it gave a lot more insights into their dynamics and relationships etc so it wasn't really pointless either. :p

 **R:** **HalfBlackWolfDemon** : Omg this is getting so fucking good! Each chapter and interaction makes my heart quiver in the most pleasant ways possible!  
I love your portrayals of Lucy n Natsu and how u have Igneel as big a part as you do! *squeals* It's not something I've seen. He's almost always dead in the stories.

 **A** : Ah yay thankyou! Yes, I really enjoy having him as part of the cast for a change. Writing Igneel is soo much fun, I'm totally in love. I hope your heart will continue to quiver :D:D

 **R: sarara1.8:** Can't wait to read more :) are devils in your Story immortal?

 **A** : You'll have to wait and see. ;)

 **R: ThatBrunnette:** This fic is so cute!

 **A** : ...I apologize in advance for all the pain that is to come. :)


	8. Chapter 8

And on we go with Chapter 7! I saw you have a lot of hopes for this one ahaha well let' have a look shall we? ;)

As usual, if you leave a review you probably have my eternal love -3-

* * *

 **chapter 7:**

 _there's a beast in the bathtub_

* * *

It smelled of lemon shampoo and cashmere detergent in the bathroom.

Altogether it was a little old-fashioned, but had its own personal charm, not least because Lucy had done her best to decorate it. Natsu looked down at himself, from the towel around his hips to his feet that curled into a rosy plush carpet.

He was about to shower.

What kind of magic tricks had she used on him to get him this far?

His eyes moved back to the woman scurrying back and forth between the shower and a wooden drawer where she seemed to keep towels and various other useful and confusing things.

The touch of her fingers lingered on his cheeks.

"I don't think I have any clothes that fit you," Lucy remarked, "But don't think that means you won't wear them."

"What?" Natsu blinked, returning to earth.

"I'll find something of mine that might not tear when you try to put it on," she clarified, facing him. "I'll put it in front of the door. Now, hop under the shower."

She stepped aside, pointedly averting her gaze from his virtually naked form.

"You should come too, you know," he smirked with renewed vigor when he saw the blush coating her cheeks, dragging his thumb across his lower stomach to hook into his towel. The movement effectively drew her gaze. This was almost too easy.

"W-what?! What's all that talk all of a sudden?" she stuttered, turning beet red. "D-did Cana rub off on you or what!"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Just thought it'd be more fun if we were together, is all."

"Just- get in!" she shouted, covering her eyes when he tugged on the towel around his hips. Natsu's face fell as she dashed out of the room. With a grunt, he pulled the towel off, stepping into the shower far less enthusiastically than before.

Maybe this wasn't so easy after all.

Even worse, some part of him that he tried his very best to shut out felt hurt at her rejection, and it had little to do with his plan of seduction. Ruffling his hands through his hair angrily, Natsu turned the water's temperature to maximum heat, hoping the water would wash away his troubled thoughts.

He hated showers.

He hated a lot of things, and he tried desperately to sustain that hatred; the anger and disdain. They felt familiar. Almost safe, in a weird way.

He was scared what he might find if he dared lower his guard any more. Confusing feelings had been rearing their head lately, some buried and forgotten, some new, and all of them terrifying. What was the most terrifying of all was that he liked having them. They felt _good_.

The water was scalding, but to Natsu it felt barely warmer than the soft rays of sunshine that caressed him whenever he sat on his favourite window pane to peek at the world outside.

Steam welled out of the shower and filled the bathroom, curling and accumulating to form thick vapour.

The air was barely breathable at this point. Just how he liked it.

Maybe showers weren't _always_ that bad. Maybe a lot of things weren't as bad as he thought if only he stopped to think about them.

He sighed.

But in his defiance, and because he _hated_ it with every fiber of his being, he didn't use even a drop of soap. It was against his nature, deeply rooted within him, to despise anything clean. And soap was definitely clean.

And this one smelled of vanilla. Natsu found himself inhaling again, images of golden hair flashing before his mind's eye. He clenched his teeth.

He had to try again. One more time.

That, he told himself, had to be enough. He couldn't go on forever, could he?

Lucy wasn't weak, was she? He knew she wasn't.

He hoped she wasn't.

The shower ran on until the water slowly but surely lost its blazing heat, the devil beneath it steaming. The droplets that bounced off him evaporated into the humid air.

Turning off the faucet and reluctantly stepping out of the shower, Natsu didn't realize a satisfied sigh had escaped him until he heard it pass his lips.

He sure as hell wouldn't tell Lucy that he had _enjoyed_ her imposed shower time.

Just as she would never know he had just stood under the running water, grumpily scrubbing at himself with his hands.

There really were clothes lying in front of the door (black leggings and a grey sweater, neatly folded), but of course he ignored them.

He found Lucy in the kitchen, doing dishes.

She simply glanced at his towel-clad form, not even batting an eyelash, and turned back around to continue her task.

"I thought I told you to put on clothes," she said.

Natsu flashed a grin at her back, taking a few more steps into the room. He rounded the table between them and came to a standstill a few steps to her left.

"Maybe I'll put some on _later_ ," he offered, insinuation clear in his tone.

And then, to his utmost surprise, Lucy turned to face him with a sly grin.

"Oh, really?" she smirked, "Well that's a start. And what do you intend to do until 'later'?"

Little soapbubbles covered her hands, and now she sunk the plate she had been holding into the water and brought them back up empty and clean. A variety of bottles, soap and cleaning utensils stood neatly aligned on the surface beside the sink. She turned in his direction some more, resting her lower arm on the counter and eyeing him expectantly.

Natsu was baffled.

Was she… flirting with him?

Though unexpected, her sudden change in behaviour was not unwelcome. The opposite, really, if he thought about it. And so, ignoring the odd fluttering in his chest, Natsu chose to grasp his chance.

Closing the remaining distance between them, Natsu grinned down at her, fingers playing with the hem of her soft sweater. Large, round eyes stared up at him, little laughter lines playing around them as she smiled. It was a gentle smile, yet weirdly melancholic.

"Listen, Natsu, I don't know what all this is about all of a sudden," Lucy spoke calmly, as if she had well-thought-out her next words, "But... please don't play with my feelings."

Natsu froze, feeling a cold pain in his heart, as if someone had just stabbed him from behind with an icicle.

Playing with her feelings. That was exactly what he was doing. But at the same time…

At the same time, it wasn't. Because, he realized, she was affecting him as much as he was affecting her. Maybe he wasn't playing at all, not really.

And then realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He _liked_ when she blushed because of him. He liked _her_. He was never supposed to have any kind of feelings for a human. They were supposed to fall for _him_ , seduced by a godforsaken devil, tainted by his touch. No-one had ever warned him he might be affected too.

He swallowed, unable to look her in the eyes.

"I like you, Natsu. You're my friend," she whispered, "But I don't think you truly want- this. Me. So I'm asking you, please, to not treat me like one of your toys."

"Maybe…" he slowly started, casting his gaze to the floor, "Maybe I want this."

His voice was barely more than a whisper, painful realization tinting it and turning it into a low, pitiful rumble. His eyes widened for a split second, then he brought them back up and fixed them on her face again with new intensity.

Lucy turned all shades of red, swallowing and unconsciously licking her lips. She took a small step backwards, if only so she could breathe again. His presence was threatening to overwhelm her.

That look in his eyes, it was raw and honest. Maybe she was stupid for trusting a devil's words, but as much as Natsu complied with his role, he had never once lied. Whatever exactly his words implied, she felt they were true.

Maybe she was stupid for believing him - but she did.

She hadn't expected this. She didn't know what to do.

Tension sparked the air around them, and Lucy forgot to breathe altogether when he slowly moved closer, the pained expression still on his face and his right hand slowly settling into hers. The tips of his hair brushed against hers.

Lucy panicked.

Reaching behind herself, she fumbled with the plastic bottles on the counter until she found the one she had been looking for, almost forgotten at the very back.

Natsu halted, inching away just a bit to see what she was doing.

He never knew what hit him.

Well, to be fair - he did. It was water. But he couldn't really process what was happening.

Lucy was clutching a green spray bottle, and a fine drizzle covered him from head to toe. It clung to his skin, dampened his hair and ran into his eyes, and then Natsu realized: It wasn't just any kind of boring old water.

It was holy water.

And then he burst out laughing.

Lucy stopped her spray water attack, eyes wide. Tossing the bottle to the side, she reached out her hands as if to touch him, but never quite put them down.

"Natsu? You're okay, right?"

Natsu stopped his wheezing, blinking away holy water and tears of amusement alike.

"You're thinking about that _now_?" he asked, almost accusatory. "What would you have done if I had burst into flame!"

The thought seemed to amuse him, though, and he bit back new giggles. He shook his wet hair at her, bathing her in her own weapon.

"I'm- I'm sorry! I didn't think!" she yelped, biting her lip.

"Where did you even get holy water from?" he asked, completely baffled.

Lucy hung her head in shame. "I stole it from the church around the corner," she admitted reluctantly.

Natsu burst into laughter a second time. "Lucy, you're going to hell!" he wheezed, "I won't even have to do anything!" Clutching his belly, he continued snorting and gasping for breath, sending little droplets of holy water flying away from him with every movement of his body.

"It didn't work at all, did it?" Lucy asked meekly, completely defeated.

Natsu shrugged. "It's just water, really. It might work on very small fry. Maybe."

Lucy covered her face with one hand, laughing. "I can't believe I actually did this."

"Really? I can. You're always so violent."

Usually Lucy would have fought him on this, but really, how could she do that in her current position? She pressed her lips together firmly, opting for a simple glare instead.

"I got it in the very beginning," she felt the need to clarify, "I almost forgot about it, I swear!"

"Whatever you say," he shrugged, an air of nonchalance about him as he turned away from her. Riling her on had always been his favourite pastime. "I hope you learned your lesson. You're not getting rid of me."

"Really Natsu, I'm sorry!" Lucy called after him, indeed feeling terribly sorry. What had she been thinking? Ah yes - nothing. She had been too distracted by Natsu almost kissing her. She released a shaky breath.

The devil snickered to himself. She totally was indebted to him now.

He could pretend to be miffed for a bit longer. He wasn't exactly mad, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little offended. Had she really thought someone of his caliber would be fazed by a little water? Another part of him was still bubbling over with laughter.

The mood had been ruined either way.

He still wasn't sure what to do with his new insight and awareness. Or the fact he had almost kissed her back then. Had almost acted on feeling alone, not because he had been following a plan. Really, the plan had been blown out of the window the moment those chocolate brown eyes had stared right into his soul, bearing open her heart and feelings. No, he hadn't been thinking straight at all.

This weekend had barely begun, and already he had the presentiment it would not end in his favour. Lucy was a formidable opponent.

Friend, she had said. He liked the sound of that.

She had resisted him. She had passed his test.

And he was happy about it. Natsu rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to rid himself off the slight pain behind his forehead.

Frankly, she had passed the test more than he had.

-cut-

Natsu slept curled up beside the heater.

Lucy laughed quietly to herself when she found him after brushing her teeth. The ground wasn't exactly more comfortable than of the assigned couch, but it seemed he was willing to sacrifice comfort for heat. The budnle of blankets on the floor rose and fell rhythmically.

It was quiet in the living room.

Despite herself, Lucy couldn't resist tip-toeing closer. It proved to be a diffucult task in the dark, but the light of the moon was enough to light her path just enough for her not to trip.

Was he still awake?

She crouched down beside him.

She had seen him asleep before, but every time anew she was astounded at how peaceful he looked. His hair stood in all directions, falling into his face. It almost reached his closed eyes. His lips were slightly parted. Lucy wasn't sure what word described him better: adorable or innocent.

He really was cute when he was asleep.

Even when he was awake, sometimes, but that thought did not belong here. Lucy mentally berated herself.

And innocent, well, he certainly was not.

Natsu cranked an eye open.

"Are you gonna stare at me all night?" he asked, trying his best to sound royally pissed off.

Lucy almost suffered a heart attack, but managed to overplay her shock surprisingly well. Her heart, however, was beating all the way up to her throat. She wondered if he could hear it.

"You're not _that_ pretty," she chuckled.

"Well neither are you," he snapped, the backhand compliment lost to him. He pulled the blanket up to his chin and glared at her from his little fortress. "You're quite ugly for hell standards, y'know," he added for good measure, pride still a little scratched from her holy water attack.

"What?!"  
"You don't even have a moustache."  
"I'm a _woman_!"  
"Exactly."

Lucy huffed, deciding she had been offended enough for one evening. She got up, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Good night, Natsu," she grumbled, dramatically turning around. A soft snore resounded behind her.

He was asleep already?!

Really, how did he do it? She'd have to ask him for his secret.

Shaking her head, Lucy walked towards her bedroom. She only got a few steps far, though, when something halted her in her tracks.

Blankets shifted as Natsu turned, sighing contently.  
"I think you're pretty though," he mumbled, barely conscious. "...for a human."  
Lucy felt her cheeks heat up, but didn't turn around.

The words didn't leave her, though, and replayed endlessly as she lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep did not come easy when a million thoughts occupied your head.

Really, she thought as she turned to the side, sleeping peacefully had become so much harder ever since Natsu had entered her life.

For more reasons than one.

* * *

The nalu was quite strong in this one wasn't it B)) I know some would love for them to move faster, but (as much as I want that too, believe me hehe) I gotta stay true to the characters and their relationship! Also, come on, the wait is just as good, if not better. Yes, I am evil. More evil than Natsu. (Not like that's all too hard eh...) I'm more evil than Natsu _thinks_ he is. Ha, here we go.

On with some reviews! Thankyou as per usual! :*

 **R: Animallover:** It's going to take a long time for Natsu to admit, even to himself, that he REALLY likes Lucy, isn't it?

 **A** : Hehe.

 **R: Akela-Nakamura** : And I'm totally hooked, so I guess I'd like a nice glass of wine to go with my slow torture at the hands of this fic.

 **A** : I'm having a glass of wine right in this moment. Want some? *laughs evilly*

 **R: Snavej** : I think Cana would do wonders for Juvia's confidence in herself...

 **A** : Riiight?

 **R:** **Athena8283** : I can't believe I've never seen this fic before! It's so well written. I love the characters. Also, don't worry, I am also a fan of manpain. Thanks for sharing this awesome story with us!

A: Ahh thankyouu!


	9. Chapter 9

__I almost forgot to post the chapter today, haha! This one is veery feelsy hehe B)) Enjoy!  
__

 _ _As usual, consider leaving a review if you enjoy the story! Nothing motivates me more! And I've had kind of a writer's block the last days ugh.__

* * *

 _ _ **Chapter 8:**  
__

 _ _if you wish upon a star__

* * *

The next day, things returned to normal.

They had lazed around most of the day without any major accidents, and after the third card game Lucy had decided that this time around Natsu could well help her prepare dinner, since he ate for most of her money anyways.

To her surprise, Natsu had agreed rather enthusiastically, informing her that Igneel had actually advised him in the art of cooking. This did nothing to convince Lucy, who well knew that Igneel's culinary skills did not go far beyond boiling pasta and ordering pizza.

There was a reason she had been looking after his nutrition for years now.

"Okay, now cut the onions," she instructed her student, carefully observing him as he picked up the long and sharp knife. He held it like a weapon, and Lucy bit her lip. "They don't need to be slain, you know."

"You sure?" Natsu asked with a grin, "Last time you cut them, you cried. Maybe I should punish them for that."

He said it casually, but Lucy couldn't stop the heat that tinted her cheeks a soft pink. She turned her head away, smiling. "Okay then, punish them. By cutting them into tiny pieces."

"Aye, sir!" he called, getting to work. His technique was mediocre at best, but in the end the onion ended up cut no matter how you looked at it.

They were cooking fried potatoes and porkloin, much to Natsu's joy.

(He had opted for steak, but Lucy had almost fainted when she had looked at the price tag, and there had been no more talk about it.)

So he was on his best behaviour, ready to be rewarded by the delicious food Lucy had still spent more money on than she had wanted to. He really _was_ doing his very best to be helpful.

Only, a helpful Natsu was still more extra work than actual help.

"Wait, wait! Peel the potatoes before you cut them!"

"Oh. Like this?" he asked, and proceeded to cut off a large chunk of potato. Lucy resisted to smack her hand against her forehead.

"No, not like this," she told him as calmly as she managed, "When the potato is cooked, you can get it off really easily, look here."

She proceeded to show him how it was done, and Natsu followed her example with surprsing skill. He was a good student, actually, if only you had the patience to teach him properly. It was not his fault that he did not know.

"Okay!" Lucy declared happily after an ungodly amount of cutting and preparation, "We can start frying!"

"Onions first!" Natsu called, and Lucy shot him an amused glance.

"Igneel taught me this!" he declared proudly, face lighting up in almost childlike joy, "Igneel taught me a lot of things!"

"Did he," Lucy smiled, trying to imagine the two of them in the kitchen. It made her heart ache in a good way. Igneel had probably taught him so much more than Natsu was aware of. And most of it had nothing to do with cooking.

They managed to prepare dinner without burning the house down, and that was a success in Lucy's book. Hell, it even tasted amazing.

Not like she would have expected anything less from herself, even with a devil in the kitchen.

With a self-satisfied little smile, Lucy chewed on her food.

Opposite of her, Natsu ate. If eat was still the correct terminology. Devour, gobble, or ravish even, would probably come closer to describe his style of eating. But the way he ate with so much appetite and enthusiasm, completely mesmerized by his food, was a weirdly joyful sight.

It made Lucy eat with much more vigour herself.

The wine they had was cheap but good enough, filling her with just that little amount of intoxication, little enough to not be tipsy just yet.

Natsu, on the other hand, was a different matter.

He had sniffed the red liquid curiously, then downed the whole glass at once, then almost died. The next glass he had treated with much more cautiousness. He did not seem entirely averse to the red liquid, but she wasn't sure if he enjoyed it either. But it sure had an effect on him. The more he drank, the more fond of it he became.

She was surprised when he purposely left her a nice chunk of meat instead of hoarding everything on his plate. She was actually full and satisfied despite eating with Natsu, which came as a small surprise. He seemed a lot more considerate lately, even if he showed it only in unobtrusive ways.

Still, it did not take long for them to finish the whole loin, with Natsu the clear victor of their eating competition (that, of course, existed only in his mind). Fighting for your food made it double as delicious, if you asked him.

He sank back into his chair with a satisfied hum, rubbing his full belly. Lucy eyed it curiously. How was he able to eat so much? She'd had two large pieces and could not have eaten more if you had asked her to, yet the amount had only been a quarter of the meat at best.

Lucy had expected him to become a little quieter after dinner, as he usually did, but instead the wine seemed to turn him into a bubbly fountain of excitement and words.

This guy never ran out of energy.

Giving him alcohol had probably not been one of her wiser choices.

He was laughing about something now, of which she had not heard the cause, fading out of the conversation by accident more than anything else.

Apparently he hadn't been waiting for an answer, because he jumped up and, with the speed of a whirlwind, disappeared into the living room.

"Lucy, look at this!" she heard him call, and with a sigh (and just a bit of relief) she ignored the dishes and went over to where he had called her.

"Natsu! Get off the couch!"

"But look!" he called again, pointing at himself. He jumped so hard that the couch protested loudly, throwing his legs high up into the air before he bounced back down, laughing like a child. He almost lost his balance, but caught himself in the last moment and lifted his leg. "Look, Lucy, I'm a ninja! Nin nin!"

"Oh god," Lucy whispered to herself. "I'm never giving you alcohol again!"

"Come here, Lucy!" Natsu slurred, pointing a finger at her. "Jump with me!"

"No way am I jumping with you," Lucy objected, but walked over to him anyways. She grabbed his wrist, dragging him down into a sitting position. "Stop ruining my couch."

Something in her voice made Natsu oblige, and he blinked up at her almost fearfully. "Lucy, you're so scary sometimes…" he whispered almost reverentially, making her snicker.

She was still holding his wrist, but now he grabbed hers too, pulling at her arm.

"Sit," he demanded. With a roll of her eyes, Lucy obliged.

"I'm not playing another card game, though."

"You're so boooring," he lamented, stretching his arms and making himself comfortable on the couch.

Lucy sighed, pulling her legs up and curling them beneath her, but keeping a safe distance to the guy beside her.

For a moment, they settled into a comfortable silence.

"Hey, Natsu…" Lucy then started almost shyly, unsure of whether to ask what she had been wondering about for quite some time now. Maybe now, with his wine-induced talkativeness, was a good time to finally get some answers. "That exam of yours… You still wanna do that?"

Natsu glanced at her with an unreadable expression.

"Of course," he replied without looking at her.

"Why?" she asked, sounding a little hurt, "I mean, can't you just… not do it? Stay here with us?"

She almost didn't dare look over at him, but when she did, he was staring at the wall with a frown. He didn't answer right away, and she grabbed a pillow, the one with the little hearts, nervously squeezing it with her hands.

"I can't not do it," he finally said, sounding a little confused himself, as if he wasn't sure of his answer, "Everybody does it. I have to do it."

"But why?" she asked again, pushing on, "What would happen if you refused to do it?"

"I don't know," he answered, but his voice was barely a whisper, and he sounded scared, genuinely scared and Lucy turned to look at him in shock.

Natsu blinked, cleared his throat, and shook his head.

"Doesn't matter," he said a lot louder, ignoring her worried stare, "because I'm doing it!"

"Natsu…" Lucy bit her lip, reaching out a hand but letting it sink back into her lap. "It's not nice there, is it. Not even for devils."

It was less a question and more a statement, and she cast her eyes to the ground, blinking away the inklings of tears.

"It's - it's not too bad!" he defended, but it sounded not very convincing. "It's not too bad if you're a proper devil. If you're a proper devil, no one will look down on you, or laugh at you, or treat you like dirt."

He clenched his fists, only slightly, but it did not escape Lucy. There was no use blinking back the tears in her eyes.

"What about family?" she asked almost desperately, trying to find something to stop the dreadful feeling in her chest from spreading, "You said you have a brother didn't you, and that he was… _the_ devil. Wouldn't that make you some kind of - of prince?"

Natsu laughed, but there was little humour in the sound.

"It's not like we are royals or anything. At least not by human definition. That's not how it works. But Zeref _is_ the ruler of hell, yeah. And…" he drifted off, "Well, you'd probably say he's kind of a shit brother. I just… I just need to show him that I'm strong. That I'll make a good devil. Then…" He didn't continue, clenching his jaws.

This time, Lucy did touch his shoulder when she reached out her hand, feeling him jerk slightly. She didn't pull back, and slowly, Natsu turned to look at her. She couldn't quite read his emotions; there were too many. If he saw the tears in her eyes, he didn't show it.

"I have to kill him, you know."

The words sunk in slowly, and after a long moment, Lucy finally managed to speak.

"What?"

"I have to kill him," he repeated, "to become his successor. Because I'm his brother."

"What? But– but that's…" Lucy stuttered, then pressed her lips together.

Natsu inhaled through his nose, looking up at the ceiling before fixing his gaze on her again. Her hand still rested on his arm, but it had slipped a little, hanging limply between them as he turned his body towards hers. Her left hand was digging into the pillow she was clutching to her stomach.

Natsu shrugged. "One day I will have to take Zeref's throne by fighting him to the death. It's tradition."

"That's… horrible," Lucy whispered.

"It's always been that way," Natsu said impassively, "Not like I ever witnessed it. Zeref's been ruling for a long time. If I lose, he'll rule for much longer."

"And…" Lucy swallowed, voice trembling, "If you lose… you'll… he'll…"

"Kill me? Yeah."

Lucy leaned forward, hugging his arm and resting her head on his shoulder. The first tears started falling, but she did no longer care if he saw or not. He swallowed, and it was so loud she could hear it.

"You know," he laughed weakly, "Now that I think about it, I maybe don't even wanna go back."

Lucy sniffed, smiling through her tears. "Then stay," she whispered.

He didn't answer, but she felt him slowly relax beside her. He was warm.

Silence settled.

Lucy turned her head slightly, letting her eyes drift over his skin. He wore the grey sweater she had forced upon him. It fit surprisingly well, considering it belonged to her. But while the sleeves were so long she had to roll them up constantly, for him they barely reached his wrists. Her eyes moved from his hand back up to where one collarbone was showing, so close she could almost touch her nose to it if she leaned forward just a little more. There were little scars on his skin, and she wondered where and why he had sustained them.

Like in a trance, she kept staring at one point, where the tip of a larger scar peeked around his throat, almost reaching his adam's apple.

Her tears had slowly dried on her cheeks, leaving her eyes feeling like sandpaper.

Maybe it was her imagination, but he seemed a lot paler than usual. She wondered if it had to do with his feelings. Now that she thought about it, the colour seemed to fluctuate a little, just gradually. It was a blazing, deep red when he was angry, but on other days one could think he simply was very, very badly sunburned if you glanced at him in passing. Now, his skin was only a few shades deeper than the hair on his head. Like when you held a glass with just a sip of red wine towards the sun.

Lucy took a deep breath, inhaling his smoky scent. It was weirdly comforting, reminding her of campfire nights of summers long gone, when her mother had been alive and she'd had no troubles in the whole wide world. Her eyelids drooped, a soft, sad smile playing around her lips.

She fell asleep before she knew it.

Natsu was startled from his thoughts when a low, soft snore resounded beside him. Lucy's head rested heavy on his shoulder, but it was a comfortable weight.

She made him feel warmer than all the heaters and showers ever had.

Carefully, he reached out his free right arm (the left was still in Lucy's grip, though he could have freed it easily) to pluck the blanket off the backrest of the couch, where it had lain as neatly folded as every other piece of fabric in this flat seemed to be.

A little clumsily, he draped it over her. She had done the same for him once, so it was only fair. He was simply returning the favour. They were even.

His eyes remained on her sleeping face. Her long lashes, her golden hair, her small nose and soft lips. The remnants of a trail of tears on her rosy cheeks.

Natsu smiled down at her. Then he realized what he was doing, and quickly relaxed his face.

He had tried his very best to convince himself that Lucy and Igneel meant nothing to him. Maybe it was time to face the facts.  
These people didn't mean nothing to him at all. They meant a whole damn lot, and he'd been a fool to think he could fight it. They had extended warmth and kindness like not many people before them had, and never in such a way that left him craving more.

Hell, Lucy had cried for him. No one had ever cried for him.

He hadn't known it would hurt him to see her tears. He hadn't known he'd feel strangely happy, either. He probably shouldn't feel happy about it. But he did.

Maybe he didn't want to taint them at all, neither her nor Igneel.

Maybe he didn't want to taint _anyone_ , if this was the way humans were.

He wondered what might happen if he really wouldn't complete the exam.

He was strong already! And he could prove it to him. He didn't need the official proof of his strength to know it existed. He was Zeref's strongest, no matter what.

He didn't want to kill his brother, but he knew he could obtain the strength to do so, exam be damned.

What was the worst that could happen? Many things crossed his mind. Many bad things had happened to him before. Worse things to others. You didn't simply disobey the rules.

And you certainly didn't disobey Zeref.

But Zeref wouldn't do anything _truly_ bad to him, to his brother… right?

Of course, he was wrong.

But Natsu did not know that, and so he fell asleep with hope in his heart.

* * *

Here we go with some reviews! Thankyou all so much!

 **R: Animallover** : I was just thinking, since Natsu can do some basic transformation, could he also transform himself to look more human if he wanted to?

 **A** : Hehe, this will be brought up very soon.

 **R: Akela-Nakamura** : The holy water bit had be cracking up, and seeing Natsu flounder when he realized he kinda likes Lucy is adorable! And the image of Natsu walking around naked, his tail flicking with arrogance, and a who-gives-a-shit grin on his face just made my day. (You didn't detail the tail or the grin, but I feel that's what happened lol)

 **A** : Thankyouuu hehe. And yes. Yes this is canon. B)))

 **R: nikkiw67** : I love this story! But is it weird all I could think as Natsu ate Lucy's cuccumber was "does it taste kinda like vanilla now?" I must know this answer!

 **A** : Hahaha oh my, this is something I did not consider ;) Maybe a little? :D He has a prone sense of smell after all.

 **R: laxusdrayer2324** : Will Lucy ever find out about Natsu?

 **A** : Find out what, exactly? :O

 **R: nalubbys** : JUST HAVE MY SOUL WILL YOU THAT WAS GREAT *tears* I love your writing so much, thank you for taking time out of your day to give us such great chapters :D

 **A** : *happy dance* ahhh I'm so happy you guys are all loving it! ^o^


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for the delay!

I started a new little AU series called **Wildwood** which I will be uploading on here later today, and because I updated that yesterday I didn't want to confuse people :D You should check out the new story though if you want to, I'm very proud of it ^-^ (It's inspired by Mashima's latest cute twitter sketch hehe, a Flame/Forest Spirit AU.) But for now on we go with TDA! ^o^

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

 _he who rests, rusts_

* * *

It was raining. And someone was using a chainsaw right next to her ear.

This was weird.

Because Lucy was quite certain, even through the heavy blanket of sleep still weighing down on her, that she was inside a building. In her flat. And she had not invited any chainsaw wielding nuisances.

Slowly blinking the sleep out of her eyes, Lucy tried to assess her surroundings without moving. The sun must long have risen; the apartment was brightly illuminated.

There was no sight of any chainsaws either. But the sound was still there, and it dawned on Lucy that it was not produced by any machine.

In slow motion, she turned her head slightly to the right, dreading what she would find.

What she felt on her cheek was not rain, either. It was wet, and it moved, and it was… drool.

Natsu snored again, a loud, rumbling sound that vibrated in his chest and left his lungs like a steam train. Lucy turned to stone.

Here she was, curled up against Natsu, covered by a blanket, in the morning, with his drool dripping onto her cheek. Had the world decided to play a cruel joke on her?

Slowly, very slowly, Lucy lifted her arm, wiping away the wetness on her skin with her sleeve, her face a mask of terror. She simply had to pretend it was water. Yes. Nothing disgusting about water. Drool was a lot like water, wasn't it. A lot more bacteria, of course, and the smell also was– Lucy shivered, desperately rubbing at her cheek.

Natsu's body heat had seeped into her throughout the night, leaving her with a comfortable warmth the kinds of which she had barely ever felt before. His cheek rested atop her head, one arm slung over the backrest of the couch, creating a wonderful little niche for her to curl into. His legs were sprawled out, feet resting far apart on the floor, while she had pulled hers up onto the couch, knees touching his thigh.

It was definitely a comfortable position to wake up in. For her, at least. She was almost certain Natsu would suffer from neck pains.

Peeling herself away from him carefully, just the upper body at first, Lucy let her eyes roam over his face. His hair was a mess.

Not able to resist the temptation, she reached out and brushed a few loose strands out of his face, grinning when he wrinkled his nose and turned his head to find a more comfortable position. He'd better not wake up now, or her dignity would be lost forever.

Quickly, she pulled back and got up, hopping backwards on socked feet as she almost lost her balance in her haste.

Taking a deep breath to calm her beating heart, Lucy decided it would be best to let him sleep for a little bit longer – chances were that he was probably a little hungover, and she would gladly spare him every second of that. And she could well use a shower before breakfast, too.

With this thought in mind, Lucy made first for her closet, then for the bathroom. The heating in the house, while rather old-fashioned, worked well enough, and so she did not freeze too much as she stripped herself out of her clothing.

Quickly skipping over the cool tiles, Lucy hopped into the shower, in her thoughts already feeling the hot water pouring down on her. She sighed and, ignoring the goosebumps travelling up her arms, reached for the handle.

Nothing happened.

She moved it again, and then, just to be sure, a few more times in every direction it would turn. She cursed, mumbling to herself angrily.

"What the… the drains?"

"The drains are just fine," someone informed her.

Lucy didn't even wait to turn around before she screamed. This was not Natsu's voice, or any she had ever heard, and she was in her flat, in her bathroom, alone, naked, and how in the world had anyone gotten inside?!

She was still screaming when she turned around, a high-pitched, scared-to-the-bone sound, and for just a second she locked eyes with _someone_ , a tall, dark figure with eyes as black as coal. Then the door ripped open, Natsu barging in like a bulldozer, and whatever it had been she had seen vanished before anything else could register in her brain.

"Lucy?!"

"Natsu!" Lucy wheezed in relief, pressing a hand over her rapidly beating heart. She was safe now. She was safe and she was… naked. Her relief didn't last long.

Natsu, too, seemed to register this detail as he kept staring at her. His face, first worried and shocked, slowly morphed into something else entirely. His eyes widened, mouth forming a small circle, and then, quietly, he puffed out a small, "Oh."

Lucy squealed, trying to cover up any part she deemed indecent as good as possible and flushing a red almost as intense as Natsu's skin. But nakedness be damned, she needed to tell him about… whatever it was she had seen. It had not been her imagination, had it?

"Natsu," she stuttered, pointing at the towel she had placed on top of the commode, "Something…someone was here. Inside the bathroom."

Natsu snapped out of his stupour faster than she would have imagined, nodding grimly. He did not hand her the towel, though.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I can smell it. He came through the drains, huh. There's only one bastards who stinks like this…"

Natsu sniffed the air again, following an invisible path.

His head snapped around when he found what he had been looking for. With another look at her (that lasted longer than it should have and definitely moved lower than it should have, too) he walked over to her, ignoring her surprised yelp and smack to his chest. His hands gripped her shoulders, calloused fingertips digging into creamy skin, and then, finally, his eyes fixed on hers again.

"Stay right here," he commanded, and something in his voice made her not only obey without a single complaint, but also completely silenced her before she could fling any insults or kick him where it hurt most. It didn't matter that she was naked. She didn't think he even realized it in this moment, hands squeezing her reassuringly. Lucy nodded meekly.

Letting go, Natsu spun around, sprinting out of the room and leaving Lucy behind to shakily get out of the shower and at least put on fresh clothes.

His last words had done nothing to relax or even enlighten her:

"Oi, tin can!"

* * *

He found him in the living room.

It wasn't hard – he had not been hiding. Sporting an expensive looking black suit, the devil had claimed the couch as if it were a throne, sitting with his legs spread wide and a cocky smirk on his lips.

"Long time no see, Salamander."

Natsu frowned. "Gajeel." He nodded curtly, not moving from where he stood. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What, can't I visit my little cousin?" Gajeel cackled darkly, putting his feet up on the living room table. Natsu almost couldn't help but flinch in Lucy's stead. Almost.

Huffing out an annoyed sigh, he moved closer and crossed his arms.

"What, can't wait to get your ass kicked by me?" he asked, a dark grin of his own flashing over his face.

Gajeel laughed then, a loud, booming sound that sufficed as answer. Natsu scowled.

"How long has it been?" he finally said, slapping his thighs, "Zeref sure kept you chained to his side, eh? Though they still say hell is quite quiet without END around."

"Ha!" Natsu cackled, "Nobody told me how much fun the human world would be!"

"Oh, is it? That's news to me. Last time I was here was during the plague, and I can't say things have brightened up a lot," Gajeel grumbled, then pointed at his tailored suit. "At least their fashion sense seems to have changed for the better."

Natsu did not really understand much of what he was hearing (human history had never been his favourite subject), but he didn't care much either. He was too excited by his family visit, even if he tried to not let it show. How long had he not seen his cousin? A decade, at least. Lately, Zeref had gotten more and more obsessed with his training.

There had not been much time for fun and games.

"I'm fuckin' _hungry_ ," Gajeel thundered out of the blue, and Natsu grinned. Finally someone who understood his appetite. Though, granted, Igneel did almost rival him at times. "Fetch yer elder some good ol' screws, will ya."

"I don't think Lucy has screws," Natsu deadpanned, but then his eyes lit up.

"Lucy who?" Gajeel asked, but was never granted an answer. Natsu had dashed off, and the delicious sound of clanking metal drifted over to him. Next thing he knew, Natsu was pointing a long, sharp knife at his nose. Without hesitation, Gajeel took a hearty bite out of the forged and double-folded steel.

It was this moment that a (now fully clothed) Lucy chose to enter the living room.

It was not exactly the best moment.

Gajeel blinked at her before crunching down on the metal. Her eyes moved to what had once been her favourite kitchen knife. She didn't understand the world anymore.

Not like she had ever since Natsu had arrived.

"W-who are you?!" She had intended to scream, but her throat was too scratchy and her mind too exhausted, and so it came out as an exasperated wail.

One devil was more than enough. And judging from his similarly red skin (it was just a tad darker than Natsu's), he definitely was not very human.

And he didn't seem very impressed.

"Gajeel," he grunted in her direction before proceeding to entirely ignore her, taking the knife out of Natsu's hand and devouring it completely.

Helplessly, she directed her attention at Natsu. He shrugged, flopping down onto the couch beside their guest. While he seemed to know the man in the suit, he appeared to be almost as clueless as her.

Pressing a hand to her forehead, Lucy slowly advanced, coming to a standstill at the armrest of the couch, beside Natsu. Nobody offered her a seat.

"Spit it out," Natsu demanded, "What are you doing here? You didn't go through the trouble of tracking me down because you missed my face."

Gajeel chewed slowly, savouring his last bite. When he looked at Natsu again, an ominous glare had settled on his face. "So how's yer exam going?" It was obvious from his tone of voice that there was no real question. "There's, y'know, no fucking souls showing up down there. Well – none sent by yer sorry ass. Bussiness is going as good as ever."

There was a sudden moodshift in the flat.

It was only subtle, but enough to send goosebumps travelling up Lucy's arms.

Natsu loudly exhaled through grit teeth, stiffening.

"Since when is that any of your fucking bussiness?" he growled, "You miss me so much you want me back home?"

"Don't get all cocky on me," Gajeel taunted, "It's not like I care for you or anythin'. I'm jus' sayin'… you can be happy it's only me who has noticed so far. Or maybe they've noticed, but nothin's happened yet. Yer a lucky bastard."

Natsu took in this information with an almost pensive expression. It was a rare look on him, and made Lucy dread whatever was going on even more. She took a deep breath, stomping down the fear bubbling inside her like lava.

"Uh, Mr. Devil, excuse me…" she started lamely, and then blushed when both devils on the couch started snorting, exchanging incredulous glances.

Natsu grinned at her. "No need to be polite to that rusty screwface. He's my cousin, ya know, so even if he's a pain in the ass, he's family."

"What'd yer just call me?" the other growled, and before she knew it they both were at each other's throat. Lucy was starting to lose her patience. Not only had this guy trespassed into her flat and had probably seen her naked, no, he had also been _rude_ to her. She deserved some answers.

"Okay, _Gajeel_ ," she said loudly, her anger giving her more courage than she had thought possible, "I would really like to know what's going on here."

Her voice could have cut through glass. Natsu immediately (yet reluctantly) let go of his cousin's tie, and while Gajeel seemed far less affected, he actually listened to her too. Then his eyes fixed onto her, dark as the night and equally as scary, and Lucy wished she wouldn't have said anything.

"You," he grunted, "Human. What's yer fuckin' problem. Be glad you're still alive, 'cause you're getting real annoying real quick."

Lucy paled, heart quickening. His words weren't an empty threat, she could see the murderous intent blazing in his eyes. Fear gripped her like a steel trap, digging into her. This one wasn't like Natsu. Instinctively, she took a step backwards.

But Gajeel didn't get the chance to say another word, much less get up.

Natsu slammed him back into the couch with enough force to almost topple it over, teeth bared as he snarled at him. The grey tie started to smoke where his hand, engulfed in flames, gripped his suit.

"Don't touch Lucy," he spat, "Don't even _think_ about it, or I'll personally send you back to hell."

Gajeel's eyes widened in surprise for just a split second, but he was on his feet and Natsu on the floor in the blink of an eye.

"Who do you think you're talking to, bastard?!"

Natsu got up with a dark smirk, wiping blood off his lip. Lucy had rushed to his side without thinking, and he blinked at her in surprise when she touched his shoulder, face full of shock and worry.

"Natsu, are you okay?"

He smiled at her then, trying his best to look reassuring. "Don't worry Lucy, the bastard doesn't stand a chance against me."

Gajeel, who had followed their exchange intently, broke into roaring laughter. "You couldn't beat me even if you were a full devil. Have you lost your mind?"

"I don't care that you're older than me, or that you're a full devil. If I have to fight you, I'll win," Natsu growled furiously, and Gajeel's face darkened.

"Very well," he answered, and the flat around them suddenly seemed to fade in and out of existence. Darkness emanated from him like smoke, curling and twisting as it enveloped them. Gajeel seemed to be made of pure darkness, his eyes gleaming a deep, bloody red.

"It's not real," Natsu told Lucy calmly, but the fear and panic she was feeling were very real, so she couldn't help shivering like a leaf despite his words. "We're still in your flat."

"Say goodbye to your human friend," the shadows laughed, and Natsu flung himself forward with an enraged roar. Lucy was panting, trying to find anything her eyes could hold onto in the darkness around her. They were still in her flat. Natsu had said so. And so, slowly, she felt her way forward. Flames suddenly erupted, casting light into the shadows, and she could make out the two men beside the couch, fists locked on each other's faces. Her ceiling was scorched.

This couldn't be happening. This was madness. They would destroy her flat!

Lucy sprinted around the couch before she knew it, standing in between the two devils with her hands up in the air before they could clash again.

"Stop!" she called, gasping for air, " _Not_ in my flat!"

Then she realized how stupid she sounded.

Gajeel's knuckles cracked as a dark grin spread across his face, and Lucy saw her life flashing before her mind's eye. He raised his fist, inches from her, and she couldn't do anything but stand frozen in shock.

Then she was spun around, strong arms engulfing her and hugging her to a hard chest. Natsu's breath was hot against her neck, and she felt the force of Gajeel's hit even as he shielded her with his body. "What are you doing!" he spat, but the shock in his voice was unmistakable. Her mind had went blank, and she simply clung to his arms, eyes wide and lips trembling as much as every other part of her body, preventing her from speaking.

He let her go only to spin her around and grip her by the shoulders, and faintly she registered that she was surprised to see his expression similar to what she imagined hers must be.

"N-Natsu…" was all she finally managed to say, unable to tear her gaze from his wide eyes.

The flat was back around them, without any shadows clouding it, but neither of them saw how Gajeel slowly dragged a hand over his face.

His eyes remained closed even after it had slid down his face and dropped to his side, brows furrowed.

"For fucks sake…" he mumbled more to himself than to either of them, "A human, Natsu? Isn't there _anything_ ya can do like a normal devil?"

Natsu spun around with a scowl. "Whaddaya mean with that?"

Gajeel simply rolled his eyes, straightened out his suit (the tie was back to normal) and sat back down onto the couch. "Yer an idiot."

Lucy, who had not heard Gajeel's words, slowly regained a normal heart rate. With shaky legs, she sat down onto the couch, keeping as much distance from the devil as possible. He glanced over at her, and she tried her best not to flinch, but to stare back bravely.

Gajeel huffed (in amusement? she wasn't quite sure), and suddenly his skin changed, paling until it had settled for a teint that came close to dark caramel. Her mouth opened, then closed again, and he grinned at her as if he hadn't just threatened her life minutes ago. There were no horns on his head either.

"Better?" he asked, and Lucy guessed this was his attempt at a peace offering.

"Wait… you can do that?" she suddenly asked, then turned to stare at Natsu with an accusatory look. "You could have done that? All this time?"

"He damn sure can't," Gajeel laughed superiorly, "Not before he's S-Class. Guess he'll be stuck as a lower devil forever at this rate."

"Shut up!" Natsu screeched. "I'll be S-Class before you know it, and I'll kick your stupid ass!"

Gajeel did not seem convinced.

"And you'll start with this one?" he asked mockingly, motioning his head towards Lucy.

Natsu clenched his jaw, glaring first at Gajeel and then at the wall to his right.

"Natsu," Gajeel said, his voice suddenly a lot more somber and serious, "I'm warning you. Getting invloved with humans won't do you any good. Us devils aren't supposed to mingle with anyone. Our job is to destroy, to test and mislead."

Natsu sat down onto the living room table angrily, and to her terror Lucy heard a small crack. "You're one to talk," he suddenly retorted, glaring at his cousin, "Last time I checked you were hitting it off with that small angel. What was her name again, Luigi?"

Out of all the emotions Lucy had never expected to cross Gajeel's face, complete and utter shock, panic even, had probably been the very last. His face fell before the words had even left Natsu's mouth, and he leaned forward to rest his arms on his thighs, black hair falling over his shoulders.

"Shut up, Salamander," he hissed, suddenly a lot more uneasy. "Don't you remember what happened to Erza?"

"That was her name!" Natsu suddenly called excitedly, throwing both of them off. "The one with the flaming hair! I remember her from when I was still young! Wait – what happened to her?"

Gajeel's face darkened. "Zeref really never told you anything, huh? It's like he kept you locked away."

* * *

Ahh let's break the 200 reviews with this one aye? B)) You're all amazing!

R: laxusdrayer2324: WWWAAAHHH TT! Natsu has to kill Zeref or Zeref kills Natsu?! So unfair is there any way to prevent it?!

A: Ikr? SO unfair B((( I don't know, is there? We're gonna have to find out heh.

R: Mo0nyMoon: Ahhh Natsu being so domestic is adorable. I can feel that zeref is going to be a real basterd in this story.

A: Well, y'know, he IS the literal devil : D (And all the yes for domestic nalu, it makes me weak.)

R: Animallover: I'm really looking forward to when the story really starts to pick up the pace!

A: Are you satisfied? B)

R: EmeraudeLucille: I wonder what they eat in hell? Hmmm.

A: Good question. :D Fire fries? Hahaha.


	11. Chapter 11

_I'm so sorry for the delay! But I was really busy with life, I hope you understand. And because I'll continue to be busy for a bit,  
_ _ **this fic will go on a Christmas Hiatus!**_ _  
I'll be busy visiting my family over the holidays, and I will use this time to write as much as I can to secure future regular updates again! On we go now, expect more of this fic next year! ;)_

 ** _And thankyou so much for 200+ reviews! Let's keep this going, you're amazing! -3-  
_**

* * *

 ** _chapter 10:_**

 _the colour of her hair_

* * *

It is known that, where devils thrive, there will always be someone to combat their evil.

It is the nature of things, the balance that must never be unsettled.

There is good, and there is evil.

But it never is that easy, and the world is certainly not painted in black and white.

A long time ago, on earth, two people who should have never been anything but enemies chose to tread a different path.

Neither was perfectly good or perfectly bad. Neither was human, either.

The first time they met was on a street corner in Pompeii, 79 AD. Many people died that day. Some, however, were saved by a man with an odd tattoo – but the rumours were lost to time. A woman with scarlet hair had been watching him silently before leading many, many dead souls down to an even greater fire.

They met again, many times, too many for it to be by pure coincidence alone.

The angel, Jellal, would smile at the woman in charge of the souls of sinners, telling her that one day she might lead him downwards too – or, if he was very lucky, that she would leave behind her world and join him.

The devil, Erza, would smile back. Stolen glances turned to stolen touches, to stolen kisses and stolen whispers, and soon neither of them knew where they belonged anymore.

Would she take him to hell with her, or would they both be forgiven for their sins?

"Do you think we could be together?" she asked him one day, as they sat on the edge of a riverbank, staring out over the wild, dark waters.

Jellal's smile turned sad.

The steady sound of rushing water and small waves crashing against sharp stone accompanied the silence that followed.

Soon, the land here would be swallowed by hungry waves, leaving nothing but destruction.

"You know how much I wish for that," he spoke quietly, turning to face her. "And still…"I'm an angel, and you're a devil, and yet more often than not I feel like you shine so much brighter."

Erza bit back a soft laugh.

"That's because my hair lights on fire."

Things started to go wrong when suspicion and distrust rose in both heaven and hell. Questions of absence, sniffing dogs, sceptical looks from peers and commanders alike, spies at their heels with every step they took – it became harder to even meet. Yet they would rather play a dangerous game of hide and seek than stay away from each other.

With every meeting, their determination grew stronger, their love deeper.

Oh, if only love would have been enough.

The last time they met was in a small town in the Yunnan province, 1855, as witnesses of the third outbreak of the bubonic plague. They were as scared as the humans, but for different reasons.

This would be the last time they could see each other, and they knew it. They'd been found out.

Both heaven and hell were strict rulekeepers, and there was no mercy to be found for sinners.

Angels and devils were forbidden to be anything but enemies.

They lay together in the dry hay of an old wooden shack, sheltered from the winds and cool of night. Twisting a strand of scarlet hair around his finger, Jellal gently kissed the neck of the woman beneath him before peppering kisses onto her cheek and forehead.

They didn't speak much that day.

Enjoying each other's company, each other's love, in silence was all they had left.

And they did not want to admit it, and certainly not to each other's face, but oh, they were scared. Scared of what was waiting for them – and knowing that whatever it was, they would be separated for a long, long time.

And so they had to enjoy what little was left.

Words would not have saved anything, would not have healed or comforted or changed.

Jellal pulled back, expression as unreadable as hers.

His fingers graced her cheek, and she smiled up at him softly. It was a look she reserved for little, and the fact that he had gotten to see her like this, to love her, was enough for Jellal. It made it all worth it.

"I love you," he told her, "I always will."

"I love you too," she simply replied.

This little shack was their save haven, and yet they had to leave it behind. They could not run forever. And so they got dressed – in silence, as everything had occured that day; to steady themselves, to be strong in the face of separation.

Erza closed the door behind them, and the old wood rattled and creaked as it fell to a close.

Someone was waiting for them.

A woman with cold eyes and hair as black as coal. She smiled sweetly, lifting a clawed hand in greeting as the two lovers approached.

"Someone's been naughty," she finally spoke when they halted in front of her, her expression neutral, bored even. "We will have quite some fun with you before we send you off. Isn't that right, Kyouka?"

"We certainly will, Saylah," a voice replied behind them. They both knew who it belonged to.

As they turned to face Kyoka, high master of torture and judge of sinners, they exchanged a short glance that steeled and reassured them even as their faces remained expressionless.

"In the name of heaven and hell and the old rules that must be honoured, I hereby arrest you for disobedience of the holy law. You will accept the punishment that awaits you," the second woman spoke, voice dripping with mirth.

"Not in the name of Mavis," was all Jellal said.

"Mavis is not in charge anymore," was all the reply he got.

No words were spoken after that.

In silence, Jellal let them tie him in chains, eyes stirn and empty as he watched Erza endure the same procedure with her head held high.

Even now, she was so beautiful. What a wonderful goddess she would have made, a fierce warrior lighting the heavens. And it was his fault, now, that she would burn in hell.

He deserved all the punishment he would receive.

They took her away, dragged her roughly out of his sight, with her hair swaying softly in the wind even as every other part of her was chained. A part of her would always be free.

It was the colour of her hair that burned itself into his heart and mind, the last thing he saw of her before he, too, was taken away to face punishment. It was the colour of her hair that would haunt him for eternity, and would be his most bittersweet memory.

Their punishment was not a merciful one.

Erza was damned into the deepest layer of hell, locked away for judgement day. Waiting in chains, trapped and tortured, she would only set foot on earth again on the day where all life would perish forever. She became the apocalyptic horseman of war.

Jellal had his wings taken from him, ripped off his back in a public display that would serve as a reminder to not ever mingle with the devil folk. He was then sent to earth to live a human life as an outcast; a damned, wretched soul. And yet, while human, he was still immortal, damned to wander the earth forever. The day time would be unfrozen for him, allowing him to age once more, was the day he would see his true love again. The last day on earth, before life would forever cease to exist.

On the day of the apocalypse, they would meet again – as enemies, how it always should have been.

But love had made them tread a different path, and only love knew if they could overcome all obstacles, one very last time.

* * *

The tale that Gajeel told was an incomplete version, was slightly altered by time and myth (and his story-telling qualities), but it was the same story nonetheless.

Lucy tried to make sense of what she was learning as best as she could, stringing together information and filling out the parts she didn't know about to construct a somewhat logical map of relationships and history.

"So… am I getting this right," she interrupted, "They were punished and separated forever simply because they loved each other? That's… that's just horrible!"

Gajeel nodded grimly. Natsu had become surprisingly quiet.

"And that's why we don't talk about these things. Nobody does. And those who dare go against the rules…well. Those especially." Gajeel crossed his arms over his chest.

"And you're…" Lucy started, but didn't finish when he glared at her.

He was one of those. An angel and a devil… in love?

It was hard to imagine Gajeel as someone who would fall for an angel, she thought with mild amusement. He was so gruff in both appearance and behaviour, the picture book image of a demon. She wondered what she was like, that angel that had won his heart and made him break rules. Then again, he _did_ seem like someone who did not care too much about rules.

"So, Natsu," Gajeel said sternly, turning to his still silent friend, "Yer gonna come home or what?"

"I don't want to," was all Natsu said. A short and simple answer that left no room for negotiation, not with the look in his eyes.

Gajeel nodded grimly. He'd been expecting this response.

Running a large hand through his mess of hair, he exhaled loudly.

"I can try to cover for you, but I don't think that will work for very long," Gajeel grunted. "And then, if he finds out – Mavis save us both."

"He can come all the way to me if he wants to," Natsu spat, "I ain't leaving. It's too much fun here, with Lucy and Igneel."

He grinned, then, his behaviour back to normal as he spoke the words. But Lucy could tell that his thoughts were occupied, worry clinging to him even if he tried not to show it.

Gajeel got up off the couch, not a single crease in his perfect suit. He slapped the back of Natsu's head, evoking a growl from the younger man.

"Yer know that someone worse than me is gonna come to drag yer ass back when they catch wind of yer not doing that damned exam," he warned, "All hell is gonna be pissed."

"I know," Natsu answered, giving him a curt nod, "Thanks for helping anyways, I guess."

Gajeel laughed a humourless laugh, but turned back towards him, hesitating.

"Don't get yer hopes up or anything, but Lev– I heard that there's something going on up there. It's all rumours, but they're saying there's some power shifts, some kinda war… maybe, after all this time, it really is Mavis." He shook his head, though, as if to clear his mind, and his expression clouded yet again. "Wouldn't count on it, tho. Not like it's gonna help us much either way, eh?"

Natsu cocked his head, and Lucy added yet another question to her seemingly never-ending list. She had a feeling they wouldn't be answered anytime soon.

Now was not the time to ask, anyways.

"You keep talking about this Mavis person," Natsu complained, voicing her thoughts, to her surprise, "The name sounds familiar, but I kinda, uh, forgot."

Great. He certainly would not be able to answer her questions. And Gajeel was leaving.

He, too, seemed like he was about to slam his head against the wall.

"You're hopeless!" he growled, "Forget it! Probably better if ya don't know, anyway. Idiot."

"Oi, don't call me an idiot!" Natsu roared, raising his fist. But before he could get off the couch, Lucy gripped his hand firmly, glaring down at him.

He pouted at her, but showed no signs of getting up any longer.

"Idiot…" Gajeel muttered again. Smoke was beginning to rise around him.

"Yeah, leave, tin can! Go back to the icycle and leave me alone!" he hissed again, earning a smack on the head from Lucy.

"Don't be so rude!" she hissed back, "He's helping us!"

"Yeah, listen to her, muttface."

The smoke had enveloped Gajeel whole, a pillar of darkness in her bright livingroom.

"I'm off," the pillar spoke, and with a snap of his fingers, he vanished. "An idiot… and a _bunny_."

Those were the last words they heard of him before calm and quiet returned to the room at last. The two people left behind were anything but calm, though.

Reality was settling back in, and it looked dark and sinister.

Closing her eyes, Lucy exhaled deeply, trying to rid herself off the uncomfortable knot in her chest. She realized she was still holding onto Natsu's hand, albeit it was no longer raised in anger but rather hovering uncertainly in the air.

She let go, and Natsu sprung into action.

He hopped off the sofa, fists balled, and when he found nothing to direct his anger at he groaned in frustration and kicked the little table in front of him.

But for once he was lucky. Because Lucy, despite noticing it, did not pay it much attention.

Her attention was drawn to something else.

The fabric of Natsu's shirt was torn from his shoulderblades almost all the way down to his tailbone, tinged a dark red that was starting to look brown at the edges. He must have sustained this wound when he fought against Gajeel – when he'd shielded her from his attack. He'd sustained this wound _because of her_.

Why had he not said anything?!

"Oh my god, Natsu, you're bleeding!"

"Huh? I am?" Natsu glanced back over his shoulder, blinking at her in confusion before his eyes dropped to try and inspect his back. "Oh, you're right."

He didn't even sound worried.

Lucy, on the other hand, did not only _sound_ worried – she was close to panicking.

It was not only that his shirt was all ripped and bloody, but what she saw beneath that sent her mind reeling. It was not what a back was supposed to look like. A large gash had been ripped right between his shoulderblades, tearing his skin and exposing flesh and too much blood.

How had she noticed only now?!

How had _he_ noticed only now?!

Swallowing past the bitter taste in her mouth, Lucy took a deep breath before taking a step closer and lifting a shaky hand. She could smell the blood, a disgusting metallic scent, and had to bite back a gag.

"Whatcha doin', Lucy?" Natsu asked curiously, "It's just some scratches. That'll be healed in no time."

He did not say another word, however, when Lucy carefully peeled away the torn fabric around the wound. Maybe it was because her hand was shaking, or maybe because he was in more pain than he wanted to admit, but he flinched when her fingertips graced his sensitive skin.

"Sorry," she quickly apologized, but he just huffed. "Sit down, okay? I have some stuff somewhere, I think, oh god I really should… in the bathroom?"

Lucy bit back tears as she ran off on shaking legs, unaware that Natsu was following her every move from his spot in the couch, until she rounded the corner.

She did, luckily, find a first aid kit (unused, apart from band-aids), that she placed on the living room table. (It was wobbling ever since Natsu had kicked it, one of the legs creaking.)

"Okay, let me just desinfect this and patch you up, please Natsu," she begged, voice close to a whimper as she sank onto the couch beside where he was sitting with his back towards her.

There was blood smudged onto the pillow; he'd probably leaned against it before realizing his mistake. The fact barely registered in her brain.

"You're not angry?" he asked, and she wasn't even sure what exactly he was asking her about.

"Hm?" she hummed absentmindedly as she drenched a pad in alcohol and brought it closer to his back. He lifted his right arm to point at the bloody pillow, and she just shook her head despite him not being able to see it.

"Don't be silly," she answered, new tears waiting to spill, "How could I care about some stupid pillow when you're hurt because of me?"

He stiffened when she pressed the pad against the edge of his wound, but when he turned around she wasn't sure if it had been because of the pain.

His dark eyes were trained on her face, as if he was trying to stare into her very soul. "You're not gonna punish me?"

"Punish you…?" Lucy repeated incredulously, "No, of course not!"

He pursed his lips, taking in this information. "I broke your table. I scorched the ceiling."

Lucy's brow twitched. "Don't play with your luck."

"You're really not angry?"

Taking a deep breath, Lucy smiled at the disturbed devil. "No, I'm not angry. Maybe I'll be later, but you're _hurt_ , and I couldn't even be angry at you if I tried."

It was weird to see him so uneasy, as if he was expecting her to flip, and it once again made her wonder just how exactly his little transgressions had been treated where he was from. So when he finally gave a small smile in return, it felt as if a rock dropped off Lucy's heart.

He turned back around without another comment, letting her carefully work the wound on his back.

The wound he had sustained because of her.

What had happened was still a mad blurr, but the moment he had hugged her, shielded her from Gajeel's attack with his body, had branded itself into her mind. He had saved her.

It was only beginning to dawn on Lucy what would have happened had that fist hit her, a fragile human, instead of Natsu. She might have been dead right where she'd stood.

She felt her hands tremble all over again, but concentrated on the ministrations she was currently giving Natsu's back. The sight wasn't too bad now; maybe she'd gotten used to the blood. She'd take good care of him. She owed him big time.

Lucy smiled shyly, slowly leaning her forehead against his left shoulder. "You protected me. Thankyou."

For a second she thought he might have stopped breathing with how still he sat, but then he slowly relaxed. There was determination in his voice when he spoke next.

"Yeah." He nodded. "From now on, I'll protect you."

* * *

Finishing on a hopeful note! See you next year! ^-^

 **R:** **IndestructibleLove** : Haha yay Natsu! Way to protect Lucy! And haha I'm guessing the little Angel is Levy? So cute! I'm guessing Erza was killed or something similar for loving jellal who was not a devil? Hmm? Can't wait for the next one! Thanks!  
 **A** : Ayye, you're good. ;)

 **R: Angel T-chan Nekoi** : OOoh new chap on my B-day? HECK YEAH! Good way to finish my day for the moment! :-D GAJEEL! Friggin dammit now I'm wishing for all of them to become human and live on Earth(Erza included if she already isn't one)! And I have to ask: will there be Happy somewhere? Natsu is not Natsu without his buddy!  
 **A** : Ohh happy late bday! And welllll. Yes, there will be. But the moment he will be mentioned you better...buckle up.

 **R: LoneStorm** : Here I aaaaam like I saaaaid and each chapter just gets more amazing! Gajeel's entrance is perfect and I think we were all waiting to see what the other devils would think of Natsu's failing exam. Your writing and plot and characters are fantastic as always. Write a book.  
 **A** : Yoo buddy! :D Thankyou so much! And I just might. ;)

 **R: Animallover:** I know you might not want to be asked about your updates for other stories on here, but do you think you'll be able to update 'Tails and Talons' and 'On whom the Pale Moon Gleams' somewhat soonish? I'm only asking because I really love those stories and it's been quite a while since they were last updated.  
 **A** : Ah, those two are on a somewhat hiatus right now! I'm concentrating on the devil's advocate oly for now, and the little extra wildwood, but that one will be finished soon. After these are done, I want to write more for Pale Moon, then T&T hopefully!


	12. Chapter 12

**_I'm back!_ __I hope you had wonderful holidays! ^-^ And I hope you're ready to continue on our adventure - and that you're prepared...__**

 ** _ _Let's see if we can get back to 20 reviews a chap, aye? B)) You're all wonderful!__**

* * *

 **chapter 11:**

 _when the wind blows, the cradle will rock_

* * *

Igneel wore his rocket print pyjamas when he knocked on Natsu's door.

An annoyed rumble told him he was allowed to pass (or at least that his presence had been acknowledged, and that was all Igneel needed to open the door), and so he entered into Natsu's little abode. Or nest, really.

He was hoarding all sorts of things in there, from a whole little mountain of blankets to empty cardboard boxes of various sizes, and even old porcelain Igneel hadn't been aware he still owned. He didn't like looking at it. It had been Grandeeney's.

"Oh by the way, Natsu?"

"What?" he grumbled.

"So how's your back doing?"

"'S fine."

"Alright then," Igneel chuckled to himself. "Ah, and...I almost forgot about this, but… are you still cold?"

"What! I'm never cold, stupid old man!" Natsu laughed with an air of superiority, jumping up from his bedding (where he had lain under a layer of three blankets) to animatedly point at his naked torso.

"Well.. then I guess you don't need this." Igneel lifted a small plastic bag, shrugging.

"What is that?" Natsu asked, trying to hide his interest, but failing quite obviously.

"Ah, just… a gift."

"A gift? For me?" The disbelief in his voice was almost astounding.

"Of course for you. And you're calling _me_ stupid…" Igneel spoke with raised brows. "Calling me old...unbelievable…"

Natsu snatched the bag from him before he could react, peeking inside. He cocked his head. "What's that? Is it… clothes?" He recoiled from it, but didn't let go.

Igneel rolled his eyes. "See for yourself."

Reluctantly, Natsu reached into the bag, letting it drop to the floor as his hands wound around the grey fabric inside and lifted it upwards to examine it more closely. His eyes squinted in suspicion.

"It's a scarf," Igneel clarified a little impatiently.

"I knew that!" Natsu hissed, clutching the piece of clothing to his chest possessively.

* * *

Igneel bit his cheek, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. "Put it on, then," he demanded, challenge and amusement clear in his tone.

Natsu scowled.

Watching Igneel's face cosely, he carefully unwound the fabric, lowering it to his stomach. Unfortunately for him, Igneel had perfected the art of the poker face for many years, giving him no ground. Clenching his teeth, feeling sweat begin to accumulate on his forehead, Natsu did quick work of binding it around his waist, staring at him triumphantly.

Igneel stared at him in disbelief, and in precisely that moment Natsu knew he had lost.

Finally taking pity on the nervous creature in front of him, Igneel stepped closer, tugging the scarf off and lifting it to its intended place. With two quick swings of his arm, Igneel securely wrapped it around his neck. Satisfied, he looked at his work, tugging at the fabric a little more until it fit the way he wanted it to.

Natsu had become surprisingly quiet.

"Here we go," Igneel declared pleasedly, stepping back.

Natsu looked away, puffing his cheeks. "Thanks, I guess."

His hand curled into the fabric, and for a moment, he forgot to guard his emotions. It was only a fraction of a second, but it was enough. Igneel smiled to himself.

It was a little touching, really, to see him sniffing the fabric, pulling on it and draping it until he seemed content. He didn't rip it off.

It suited him well.

Igneel turned, shaking his head, and left the boy alone with his new possession.

And so he did not see the look Natsu gave him, or the small, happy grin on his lips.

* * *

"So...that's what happened, is it," Igneel muttered, still nodding slowly as he processed all the information he had received.

It was a lot to take in.

It wasn't every day that you came home from a conference only to learn a devil lord had slithered into your friend's apartment through rusty drains, attempted to murder her - and _then_ sided with them. Not to mention the minor complications of Natsu's exam.

Then again, Igneel was a man who had not flinched when a naked devil had been summoned from his latest cigarette-dispensing invention, and now, too, he was ever the stoic.

A quality that proved to be an advantage more often than not.

But it never ceased to amaze Lucy. (Maybe precisely because her own disposition was anything but.)

"How can you be so calm," she said in astonishment, "Did you miss the part where we told you the hoardes of hell are gonna come after us if we're unlucky?"

Natsu snorted softly at her declaration, ignoring the gravity of the situation as per usual.

"Not at all," Igneel objected, "But for now, it looks like we're safe, right? Thanks to Natsu's… cousin." The thought seemed to amuse him for some reason.

Natsu puffed out a cloud of smoke.

"Yeah," he agreed without smiling, "But even so, it's only a matter of time, really, before someone will notice…"

"And exactly that timespan gives us a chance to come up with a plan," Igneel emphasized, only to stroke his chin in confusion. "Unfortunately, we have not the faintest what we're up against or how to beat it. Except, of course, you, Natsu."

"It's true," the other said slowly, "That we have time. A few days at least, maybe even weeks, _months_ \- point is, we don't really know."

"So we should come up with a plan right away is what you're saying, right?" Lucy said hopefully, "And you know a way to stop this?"

"Ooor," Natsu drawled out, crossing his arms behind his head, "We could eat."

They both stared at him dumbfoundedly.

But before either could say anything, he had gotten up, whistling as he made for his favourite window sill.

Lucy and Igneel exchanged a confused glance. They both knew there was no pressing on further now. Natsu was more stubborn than a mule.

Maybe he had a plan after all, and felt no need to worry. Maybe it was the exact opposite.

Either way, there was nothing to be done for now.

Maybe food would loosen his mouth later on.

For now, he had curled himself up on the windowsill, pressing his face to the glass until it was foggy from his breathing. He did seem to be in rather deep thought.

For a while, they simply let him be.

It was Lucy, a while later, who walked up to him with a steaming cup of tea.

"Here," she told him gently, and he took it with a smile.

This new-found tenderness between them still surprised her a little, but to say it was unwelcome would have been a blatant lie. On the contrary, it made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This weekend really had opened them up to each other.

Feeling bold, Lucy rested a hand on his shoulder. Natsu certainly hadn't expected it, eyeing first her hand and then her face curiously. He didn't shake it off. A faint blush coated her cheeks, but she tried to act casual despite it.

"So, what's up with _you_?" she asked in a light tone, "Did you accidentally glue yourself to the windowsill?"

"That'd be _stupid_ ," he barked with a laugh that soon morphed into a sly grin. "And I'm not stupid."

"I suppose you're not," she smiled. "Can I?"

The windowsill was rather spacious, so much in fact that Natsu had assumed permanent residency with his favourite blanket. Now, Lucy edged onto one side of it, and he pulled back his feet to let her. Hers kept dangling just above the ground, her back resting against the wall. Natsu watched as she made herself as comfortable as possible, and then dropped his feet onto her thighs.

She stared down at them in shock, and he wiggled his naked toes. For some reason it made her cheeks even redder than before, but he didn't give it much thought. Lucy was comfortable, after all. Very soft. Squishy.

The sudden urge to reach out his hands and just touch her overwhelmed him from nowhere, and he blinked in surprise. He let one leg drop to her side, where it brushed her hip, the other remaining in her lap. When she rested a hand over it, petting it with a small grin, he had a feeling his own cheeks had just turned a shade darker, if that was possible. Weird.

"I was thinking," he started, suddenly eager to distract himself, "I don't get why we have to taint people and all that stuff, when you humans are actually really _nice_. Nothing they told me about you guys is true!"

"What did they tell you?" Lucy asked, suddenly curious.

She let her eyes roam over the new scarf he had proudly showed off to her when Igneel hadn't been with them. She liked it. It looked very nice on him, as if it belonged.

"Well," he shrugged, "That you're vile and resentful and full of sin. You lie and steal and kill. You're evil, and deserve punishment. Even if you're not, you want to be, and a little temptation is all it takes. You're weak, and greedy, and…" he trailed off, counting his fingers as he tried to think of more unflattering things to label her race with.

Lucy opened her mouth in protest more than once, but slowly closed it again as she thought about what he'd said.

"But now I know that's not true!" he declared, beaming at her, and it was in that moment Lucy felt more ashamed of being human than ever before.

A sound coming from the couch distracted both of them. It sounded deceptively like a cough, but if you listened closely it was easy to pick out a surpressed bark of laughter.

"What," Natsu called, immediately pissed off by the reaction Igneel had to have had to his words, no doubt. There wasn't much else that could have made him laugh; the television was off and it had been quiet apart from their conversation.

Lucy felt somewhat relieved when Igneel beat her to crushing Natsu's innocent statement.

"You have a point, you know," he told him, "Not all humans are nice."

"Huh," Natsu said, taken aback. "But… you're good people!"

He crossed his arms over his chest, smoke spilled from his nose as he huffed.

"Not everyone is like us, Natsu," Lucy carefully told him, the hand that had been resting on his shin moving up to his knee as she leaned forward. Her large eyes silently gave him to understand that what she was saying was important. "Igneel's right. I wish he wasn't, but he is. It's not always good to trust people blindly, and I wouldn't want you to believe something that is not true only to be disappointed later on."

Natsu leaned back, dark gaze fixed on her. "Are you going to disappoint me?"

Her eyes widened, blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she shoock her head lightly. "No," she protested decidedly, shocked he would even ask her such a thing, "Of course not!"

He pursed his lips, clicking his tongue as he thought about what she'd told him.

"Good," he concluded at last, "So I'm right."

Igneel smacked the palm of his hand against his forehead, so loud it echoed through the room. Lifting his head up off couch, he rolled his eyes at Lucy, who was biting her lip as not to laugh.

"You don't know half as much about humans as you think you do," Igneel informed him, half-groaning, half-amused.

Natsu hissed at the pair, drawing his legs back up to his chest. Lucy's hands plopped into her empty lap, and with a deep breath, she wiggled out of their little niche. Stretching, she let out a content whine before declaring she had to take a break of Natsu's usual nonsense, and freshen up a little.

Igneel also took this as his prompt to get up at last, his afternoon nap having come to a drawn-out end. "Well, looks like I'm the one cooking tonight. Care to join us later on, love?"

"I'd love to," Lucy said with a coy wink before fluttering out of the apartment, only sneaking one last curious glance at Natsu before she rounded the corner.

He pretended he hadn't seen.

Silence fell over the room as Igneel, too, left it.

A little sulky, Natsu resumed his task of staring out of the window.

Fresh snowflakes danced in the wind.

He _did_ know about humans…. didn't he?

A nagging doubt pinched his belly, but before it could make itself at home, something caught his eye.

A cat.

Down on the road, a good five meters below him, a small cat ran along the sidewalk.

Now, Natsu had caught glimpses of cats roaming the neighbourhood before, but never had he seen one so small, and certainly not so… blue. He pressed his face to the glass, watching its every step. His mind had always been amazingly one-tracked, and right now there only was one thought racing through it.

He had to have it.

* * *

It was not much later that Lucy came back.

She immediately noticed Natsu was not where she had left him, but thought nothing of it.

It was only when they called him to dinner - and he didn't come running - that they first noticed his absence.

"Natsu?" Lucy called again, walking into the living room. It was empty. She made to look in his usual hiding spots, and soon enough Igneel joined in too. But when even the chimney was unoccupied by any devils, their confusion turned to worry.

"This brat," Igneel grunted, dragging a hand along his face. "Where could he be?"

"I don't know…" Lucy mumbled.

This was starting to unsettle her. It wasn't normal.

A chill ran down her spine, and she rubbed at her arms to fight off the cool air.

That was when she realized the window was not properly closed. It stood slightly ajar, so little that you wouldn't have noticed had you not been close.

Oh. Oh _no_.

Dashing for the window, Lucy ripped it open. Cold air hit her face. A thin layer of snow covered the ground, with only a number of footprints left behind, most of them already blown over. But one track was fresh - and it began right below their window.

Had he jumped?!

From the looks of it, he really had.

Cursing, Lucy pulled back and bumped into Igneel.

"Stay here," she ordered, already on her way to the door, "In case he comes back."

"Wh- Did he seriously jump out of the window? We're too highoff the ground!"

"And he's a _devil_!" Lucy reminded as she threw a scarf around her neck, not bothering to zip up her jacket. It made her next words sound almost ironic, "Oh god, I hope he's okay."

She opened the door in a haste, fixing Igneel with a last worried look before she closed it behind herself.

The cold air stung at her eyes, and she squeezed them half-shut as she followed the tracks left behind. The wind had picked up, and she tugged the open jacket more tightly around herself.

Every second counted; if she lost sight of these tracks it might become nearly impossible to find him.

Then again, he would come back on his own sooner or later, right?

Not willing to risk it, Lucy pushed on.

What if he liked the outside world so much he'd decide to stay, leaving behind their boring flat?

He wouldn't, would he? Natsu held the same feelings as the both of them. They were a family.

He wouldn't betray them. Not anymore.

With these troubled thoughts in mind, Lucy walked on, eyes glued to the ground.

It was becoming hard to see the footprints left behind in the snow that crunched beneath her boots. The wind was blowing fresh snow over them like a thin blanket, and the light of day had receeded almost completely, leaving the task of lighting up her way to the occasioal streetlamp. This part of town was not busy. It was quiet.

She'd walked for a while, and at this point she wasn't sure anymore if the tracks on the ground were even his. Maybe he was back home already.

Maybe she should turn around.

Hesitating, she slowed to a halt.

The street she stood on gave way to a number of smaller, barely lit alleys that branched off on both sides from time to time. They felt a little unsettling every time she passed one of them.

It had gotten rather dark.

Shivering, Lucy watched her breath form a cloud in the night air before it evaporated.

She almost jumped when she heard a clanking sound echo through the air.

It had come from one of the alleys she had passed shortly. Her heart hammering, she approached it slowly, prepared to run if need be. She had to walk past it either way, if she wanted to get home, so she might as well take a peek.

It had sounded like something metallic falling to the ground, maybe the lid of a bin or something of the like. Probably just a cat.

She reached the corner, and carefully peeked around it.

Someone was crouching on the ground not too far from her, and for a second her heart stuttered with worry and fear. But then she heard his unmistakable laugh.

"Natsu." She breathed a sigh of relief. Anger could wait, for now she was just glad she'd found him. Though he was still a little way away, he'd picked up on his name and lifted his head.

"Lucy!" he called excitedly, holding up a resisting bundle of fur, "I found a cat!"

The motion was enough to make the poor thing panic, and it struggled in his grasp in a desperate attempt to free itself. It fell out of Natsu's surprised hands and onto the floor, but caught itself and hastily dashed off along the wall.

"Hey!" Natsu complained, "Not fair!"

And off he was, leaving Lucy behind in the dimly lit alley.

She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting.

Seriously?

She'd gone through all this trouble finding him, worried sick, and he'd been chasing a cat? And this was all the reaction he spared for her? Very well, he could see if she cared.

He was well able to find back to their place by himself (right?), so he could come find her whenever he decided he'd have enough of his little hunt.

Pride hurt, Lucy turned around. She faltered, though, when her eyes caught a broad shadow at the far end of the alley, heading in her direction.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy mentally stomped down her queasy thoughts and forced herself to walk on. This was just a lone reveller heading home, much like her. Nothing to be afraid of… right?


	13. Chapter 13

_Sorry for the delay! Small PSA: With exams and semester break on the horizon, **I won't be able to update weekly** for a bit, and updates will become irregular until I manage to make them regular again!_

 _We're getting to a dark dark part in the story, so buckle up and hold your breath. This fic isn't just rated M for the fun times._

 _There's some **trigger warnings** for this one just in case: assault, possible attempted rape, murder._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 12:_**

 _stay away from any stranger, never stop to say hello_

* * *

Lucy's heart was beating against her chest as if it was begging her to let it out.

The man was now almost on a level with her, and Lucy kept her gaze strictly forward, painting a scenario where she simply passed him and breathed a silent sigh of relief as his steps died away behind her. That was what was going to happen, of course. That was what had always happened.

And then she'd feel silly for worrying.

She felt the man's eyes on her, sweeping from her face along her body, but pretended she didn't notice. They both kept walking. Her jacket brushed against his as he passed her by, and her heart jumped all the way up into her throat.

She'd made it. Her field of vision was clear, and Lucy shivered involuntarily as her anxiety died down a little.

Then she noticed that only one pair of shoes crunching on the snow could be heard. Hers.

"Hey missy, what's a pretty young lady doing out in the cold all on her own?"

 _Shit._

Lucy walked on, dread setting in her stomach like a heavy rock.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" he called again, and reluctantly, Lucy came to a halt. Maybe he'd leave her alone if she simply answered. Running never was a good idea. Especially with her slippery boots, in the snow...

Turning halfway, she saw the man had turned towards her, but was still standing in the same spot.

"I'm going home," she said curtly, careful to keep her voice from sounding too harsh or too friendly. It was like a walk along a knife's edge.

"I can walk you home," he offered jovially, walking towards her.

"No, thanks." Lucy was becoming worried for real. This guy was persistent, coming to a halt in front of her. She balled her fist, pocketing another as she searched for her keys in her jacket.

"You smell nice," he told her, talking to her breasts instead of her face. "Did you put that perfume on for me?"

"No."

"Come on, don't be like that," he said, a hint of irritation crawling into his voice, "Maybe I should teach you how to accept a compliment."

Lucy took a step backwards. Her breath formed a white cloud in the air, concealing the man's odd face for a short moment. She wished he would just disappear.

"Please leave me alone," she asked of him, voice flat. A scowl worked itself onto the man's face. She gripped the key in her pocket more tighly, ready to defend herself if need be. Her insincts were in an uproar, telling her this man was danger, and she should be running, getting away.

Oh, how she wanted to.

But the moment she turned her back, she almost knew with disturbing certainty that the man would follow. He'd catch her, unguarded. No, she wanted to keep him in her field of vision.

Helicked his lips. It was a disturbing, disgutingly lewd motion and Lucy recoiled.

This seemed to amuse the man, and he stepped closer. Too close.

This time, she swung. A loud clap sounded through the alley as her hand connected with his cheek. They both froze, processing what had just happened. When he brought his eyes back to her face, they were blazing with fury.

And in that frightening second, Lucy's instincts took over despite herself. She whirled around, prepared to run as fast and long as her legs would carry her - but he caught her by the wrist.

"Let me go!" she called, tugging at her arm. But his grip was tight, painful as his fingers closed around her wrist some more. Blind panic rushed through her veins.

She lashed out with the key in her other hand, missing her target slightly when he turned his head, but managed to slice a small gash into his cheek. The man growled, more and more resembling a hungry animal than a human. His dark eyes were the last thing she saw before she lost her footing, and they both landed on the snowy ground.

Lucy struggled beneath him, but his heavy body weighed her down, and she realized she wouldn't stand a chance.

"Help," she gasped out, "Natsu! Nats-"

A large hand clamped over her mouth, and her eyes went wide with fear.

"You little bitch" he hissed, leg wedging between hers as they struggled against each other, "Now look what you did!"

Lucy shouted and screamed, but his hand swallowed up the sounds, made them muffled and dull. The frightening reality of the situation, about what he might do, festered in her mind like a tumour, blinding her with sheer panic and the instinct of survival.

She knocked an elbow into his face, and he groaned as he moved back the tiniest bit. Blood trickled out of his nose, and Lucy felt horribly satisfied. She wanted to make him bleed more, wanted to fight tooth and claw before she went under.

But it turned out she didn't have to.

The man was ripped backwards, and Lucy blinked up at the sky, her mind struggling to process her sudden freedom. Her heart pounded against her chest painfully, every breath aching in her lungs. She felt tears prick at her eyes, and realized they must have been there this entire time.

A sound ripped her from her trance, and she shot up, sitting forlorny in the snow. Her limbs were frozen, the molten snow clinging wetly to her, but she barely registered the painful cold.

Natsu was leaning over the man that had assaulted her, baring his teeth. In shock, she realized the guy's face had turned into a bloody pulp, barely resembling an actual face. His nose must be broken, probably a lot more. Yet he still struggled in a blind fight for survival. Natsu snarled again, evading a blind kick and shoving him away before descending onto him again.

His skin was almost glowing, a menacing red in the dark alley. She'd never seen him like this before.

Lucy had trouble processing what was going on, her mind in a daze. Natsu was here. She was safe now. But…

A shiver ran down her spine.

Natsu leaned closer to the man's destroyed face, teeth bared in a menacing grin, nails dangerously sharp as they grazed along his bloodstained shirt.

Then he raised his arm once more.

Lucy closed her eyes.

A bloodcurdling scream tore through the alley, a sound that made Lucy's insides turn as it ripped through the air and left her shaking. She didn't have to see what Natsu was doing. This was the last outcry of a wounded, cornered animal, with neither dignity nor hope left to cling to. This was the scream of a man who knew he was going to die. And then, abruptly, it stopped.

With shaky fingers clenched into tight fists, Lucy sat motionless, not daring to open her eyes, or even breathe. Tremors shook her body.

It was horribly quiet all of a sudden.

"And this is how you send someone to hell!" Natsu's voice cut through the silence like a blade, carefree and enthusiastic.

Lucy's eyes snapped open.

And there he stood, raising his bloody hand and balling it into a victorious fist. He was _grinning_ at her.

Lucy couldn't speak. She couldn't even think. Her body was frozen in horror, and she scrambled, pressing herself further against the wall.

His grin wavered a little, taken aback by her lack of reaction.

Natsu furrowed his brows.

Why did she look so… terrified?

"Don't worry," he tried, "He's gone now."

That didn't seem to help. Her wide eyes started watering, and he watched in shock and confusion as fresh tears started spilling over.

This was not supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to cry anymore.

"N-Natsu…" she spoke at last, voice wobbly. Relief washed through him - but her eyes remained terrified as she fixed them on him. "What did you do?! Oh god, what did you do."

"What do you mean?" he asked, his expression turning grim. "You were right, Lucy. There are bad humans."

"You killed him."

"Well- yes," he said, failing to see the error in his ways. "It's my...job! It's who I am!"

Slowly, Lucy shook her head, tears dripping off her cheeks.

"That- he was a person!" she said.

"Why are you defending him?" he called, suddenly irritated. "You didn't see his thoughts. What he wanted to _do to you_."

"But…" Lucy stopped, visibly torn. She sobbed, then, the movement shaking her violently, the sound of it tearing at his heart. "I mean- Yes he was, he was- he deserved- but, but you _killed him_."

The words seemed stuck in her throat, and Natsu struggled to make sense of the chaos. But it all seemed to come back to the same thing.

He'd killed that bastard. And Lucy was terrified.

Slowly, he began to realize her terror wasn't only directed at the man, and what had happened - but at him.

The realization shot through him painfully.

"I- I just wanted to _help_ ," he told her, taken aback, "To _save_ you. Lucy, I don't..."

Lucy pressed her lips together, nodding slowly. Her whole body was trembling. "I just… I just need a m- I'm sorry."

And with that, she ran.

Natsu was left behind in the dark alley, troubled thoughts mixing with anger and confusion.

* * *

 _I sadly also don't have time to respond to reviews right now, but I want to thank anyone who reviewed!_

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This time we might make this the story with the most reviews I have on here! It's about to overtake Tails&Talons! :O Let's do this!


	14. Chapter 14

**I unexpectedly finished this chap and thought I'd just throw it at you since it's been over a week since the last update. :3 Some much needed heart-to-heart talks this time. ;-;**

 **On another note, I started posting a new collab fic called _Into The Ring_ on the joint account _eviltrinity_ with my friends Mslead and Toxineena, so do feel free to check it out! It's an _Underground Fighting AU_ , quite dark this one. B)**

 **This fic is now officially my fic with the most reviews! Yay! Let's keep this going guys :3 You push me so much!**

* * *

 **Chapter 13:**

 _it warms the heart and cools the sting_

* * *

Natsu soothingly stroked over the blue cat's fur as he ascended the stairs.

The door to their building had not been properly closed, so he'd opted for the stairs for the cat's sake - and ignored the twist in his gut that tugged mercilessly as he imagined Lucy storming through.

He'd finally tracked the little cat down in the dark after a good search, and after its initial shock the little thing had surprisingly warmed up to him. Now, it was purring lowly, and Natsu concentrated on the calm sound in an effort to drown out his agitated thoughts.

What had happened back in the alley had confused and hurt him, but he also realized it had been far worse for Lucy.

His heart felt unnaturally heavy in his chest.

He rounded the corner into his corridor almost hesitantly, and then stopped completely when he realized he was not alone. Igneel was waiting for him, and Natsu willed his feet to walk on towards him.

Worry stood written all over his face, yet he did not say a word as Natsu came to a halt in front of him. His eyes dropped down to the cat.

Natsu ground his jaw, unwilling to wonder if Igneel could see the remainders of blood on his fingers. He'd rubbed it off with snow as best as he'd been able to, but it had a tendency to cling.

He imagined Igneel had been here when Lucy had returned, and pushed away images of her anguished face. With a deep-drawn sigh, he placed the blue cat into his friend's arms.

Igneel blinked down at it, but accepted the silent offer.

"I'll be waiting inside," he told him quietly, "Come when you're ready."

Natsu wondered what Lucy had told him. If she had told him anything at all.

* * *

The door closed behind his friend, and Natsu turned nstead, staring at Lucy's door. He took a deep breath. Then he made his way inside.

The flat was quiet, and dark.

But Natsu knew where he was headed, where he'd no doubt find her.

All his other late night visits had been jokes and pranks, almost a habit by now - but today he felt none of that usual lightheartedness or excitement as he walked towards her bedroom.

He didn't knock before he entered. There really was no sense to it.

Blonde hair poked out beneath the blanket, her head turned away from the doorway. She showed no signs of reaction.

Natsu's heart dropped further. He cleared his throat.

Nothing.

The bed creaked slightly as he sat onto its edge, looking first at her and then, when she showed no signs of reaction, at the wall. His breaths were steady, despite his troubled thoughts. Beside him, Lucy tried to keep a new wave of sobs in, her breathing shallow.

"Your heart… it's darker now," he finally said, and Lucy only grit her teeth, trying to will the tears from flowing into her soaked pillow. Was that not something he had wanted all along? Then why did he sound so despondent now?

When she didn't answer, he quietly went on, "I didn't mean for that to happen."

The matress shifted as she turned in his direction, and he flinched at he red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "You came back,"she stated quietly, her voice scratchy.

He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She'd spoken almost matter-of-factly, but emotion brimmed benath the surface.

"Do you… want me to leave?" he asked. The thought terrified him more than he allowed to admit -leaving Lucyand Igneel and his new home behind - his chest ached just thinking about it. But if he had to, he'd do it all the same.

She shook her head. The room fell silent again. A weight dropped off Natsu's heart.

"I found the cat," he told her, perking up the tiniest bit at the thought of his new friend. "He likes me, I think."

Lucy smiled faintly, but there was no real joy behind it. The corners of her mouth dropped back down the next instant, and she pushed a breath out through her nose.

"That's good," she whispered, not looking him in the eye.

Natsu wanted everything to go abck to normal. The force of his wish hit him so hard he forgot to breathe for a moment, furrowing his brows as if he were in pain. A part of him was.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked carefully, and Natsu felt anxiety creep through his bones. He nodded slowly.

"Back then… you said to me- you said you could hear what he wanted to- his thoughts." Her voice broke a little, body trembling the tiniest bit, almost imperceptively. He wanted to reach out to her, to stop the shaking. But he couldn't.

Instead, he nodded again, attentive to her every word and flicker in her expression.

"But you never were able to do that before… right?" Her eyes were a little unsure, and it was this uncertainty that finally felt as if she had stabbed him right in the heart with a needle. He realized then, he needed nothing more than for her to trust him. And if she couldn't, he could as well return to hell right this instant.

"Lucy," he started, a little more forcefully than he had intended, and reached out to place his hand over hers. For a horrifying moment, as he realized what he'd done, he thought she'd pull back. But she didn't.

Her body went entirely still however, and he forced his eyes to move away from their hands and back up to her face. His gaze was pleading, begging her to believe him.

"I never lied to you," he urged, "I wouldn't lie to you, ever."

Lucy swallowed, fixed under his intense stare. There was something new in her eyes that had never been there, and it hurt. He pulled back his hand, and she watched him do so with something akin to regret etched onto her face.

It seemed neither of them really knew what to feel at the moment.

"So…" Lucy went on to distract herself, and to make sense of her dilemma, "You can see _some_ people's thoughts?"

"Yeah." Natsu nodded gravely. "Bad people's thoughts, that are tained enough for a devil to touch. At first I thought it just didn't work at all, but when I heard you call me and saw you there in the alley… I could hear his thoughts. For the first time I could see into a human's head. And… it made me angry."

Lucy sat up slightly, sad eyes fixed on him.

"You were right, Lucy. There is evil in this world. And it gets what it deserves."

"But…" Lucy fisted her sheets, fresh tears spilling onto her face, "can't it be changed? Can't evil be saved?"

Her pleading eyes met Natsu's confused ones. It seemed like he hadn't even considered the possibility, and he just stared at her, brows furrowed slightly.

"You only see the evil," she went on, trying to reach out to him, "You see evil and sin, and instead of having mercy, you punish. You see a good heart and try to taint it, and when it works you say they deserved it. But it works both ways. There is also good. Haven't you seen it, Natsu? There's good, and it can save people. Make them better."

Defiance blazed in his eyes, and he opened his mouth, but seemed unsure of what to say.

"There are things worth saving," she insisted. "I believe in the good in this world. I believe everyone can be saved."

"Everyone?" he mumbled, and Lucy blinked her tears away in confusion. Was he actually listening to her? Conflict shone in his eyes, and he seemed suddenly unsure.

"Yeah."

"Even monsters?"

His dark, bottomless eyes held an unspoken question, and he seemed hesitant all of a sudden. Lucy's heart clenched, and she managed a warm smile in response to his reluctance. Carefully, she reached out to take his hand into hers.

"Even monsters," she whispered, keeping her eyes on his hand, and the remnants of blood clinging to his skin. He said nothing, but she knew his gaze was fixed on the same spot. When his hand gently squeezed hers, she looked up. He seemed… hopeful.

"Your heart is good," he said with uncharacteristic softness, a small grin tugging at his mouth.

Lucy felt her cheeks flush at the simple statement, his words holding a different meaning to her than they did to him, she was sure. But she couldn't stop her heart from beating faster nonetheless.

"M-my heart…" she stammered, fixed under his intense stare.

He poked a finger at her chest, and she almost jumped off the bed.

"I mean, it's pure again. You're right, Lucy. Evil doesn't always win."

His words settled, and her eyes widened in surprise. Her heart… was pure?

His finger felt warm against her skin, and she unconsciously leaned into his touch.

Automatically, his whole hand flattened against her chest, right below her collarbone, and his eyes curiously followed. Her heart was beating loudly, and she was sure he could feel its frantic rhythm.

The image of him towering over the man earlier flashed in her mind; how his hand had hovered over the exact same spot…

Lucy took a deep breath. Despite everything that had happened, she did not fear him. She was not scared, even with his hand resting over her heart.

He looked almost innocent now, as he sat there and gently moved his hand lower.

"W-what are you…!" The palm of his hand was touching her breasts now, and instinctively, Lucy lashed out, "Pervert!"

"Wha- Lucy! That hurt! I was just _feeling_."

"Exactly! Feel somewhere else, you lecherous bastard!"

Offended, Natsu rubbed his cheek. "Geeze, I just really like your heart. Ain't nothing wrong with that."

Lucy ignored the fact that he had just sounded like she was on the menu, and instead curiously shuffled closer. Her tears were dry now, but she could still feel the trails they had left on her cheeks.

"You like my heart?"

He nodded, pursing his lips.

"You know, not like…," He scratched his head, searching for a way to explain himself, "When we first met, I said I wanted your soul, remember?"

Lucy nodded, embarassed at the memory.

"Well I still do, but… I dunno, it's different. I want your soul to be mine, but I want it to be as it is now, not dark or tainted. And I wanna keep it."

Dumbfounded, she stared at him, unsure of what to say. His brows were furrowed, eyes questioning as they lay on her, as if he only was figuring out his feelings as he spoke.

"I don't know. Does that make sense?"

Lucy swallowed thickly, trying not to think too much about the implications of his words. She wondered if devils could fall in love. She thought they could.

"I think it does," she mumbled, and without thinking, leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his middle. He sat very still, freezing under the unexpected touch.

* * *

 _Thank you to the amazing lovelies who reviewed last time! Hope to see your names again, hehe. You guys really make my day!_

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	15. Chapter 15

**I am soo sorry for the delay! ;-; But I finally kicked myself in the butt and wrote this chapter in two days! It's full of emotions, this one B)**

 **But I also wanted to thank you for the insane amount of reviews last chapter! :O We didn't just make it to 300, we dashed right past it and left it in the dust! It made me so so happy! :3 Let's do it agaain!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

 _gentle is the heart that weeps_

* * *

Natsu wasn't sure what he had done to make Lucy hug him now of all times, but he sure as hell would not complain about it either.

She smelled sweet, and felt soft, and had the circumstances been any different he would have been entirely happy. Unfortunately, he had killed a man.

And it had proven to be a lot less fun than he had originally thought. Back in hell, he had ben itching to finally go and hunt down sinners. But now…

He looked down at Lucy. Everything that had happened tonight had taken a visible toll on her. She looked tired. Carefully, he brought his hands up to finally return the embrace. He'd been so dumbfounded by it that he had frozen solid for a good moment.

Slowly, he felt himself relax.

They sat in silence. Natsu was afraid to break out of this happy little moment by opening his mouth, and so he kept it shut. But nothing could last forever, of course. He had learned that much.

"I didn't tell him," Lucy whispered against his shoulder a few moments later, and Natsu tensed.

Igneel didn't know. Somehow, he felt relieved. Picturing his face after hearing the news… Natsu scrunched up his eyebrows, a little confused how upset he felt at the thought. If his reaction would be as bad as Lucy's, he wasn't quite sure what he could do.

This was not what he had wanted.

And still…

"You should sleep," he told Lucy, carefully pulling back to look at her face. He kept his voice low, and as soft as possible. "You're tired."

Lucy eyed him carefully. "I won't tell him," she said quietly.

Natsu sighed, his hands still resting on her arms. He nodded. "But I will."

He had to tell him. He had to make this right. As much as he dreaded what might happen afterwards, he had to do right not only by Lucy, but by Igneel too. Igneel trusted him, and he would not betray that trust. Even if he might break it with what he had done. He would tell him the truth.

And he would never make Lucy lie for his sake.

Her heart was his to protect now.

Lucy took this in silently, her eyes sad. It seemed she knew exactly what was going through his head. "Will you stay a little bit longer?" she asked him, uncharacteristic shyness in her eyes.

Gratefully, Natsu accepted. It might simply be buying time, but still, being with Lucy felt like ointment for the cracks in his soul. Maybe it was the same for her. Maybe she didn't want to be alone.

"Okay," he agreed, and watched something like relief wash over her face. Lucy took a deep breath. Then, very slowly, she leaned forward until her lips brushed over his cheek.

Natsu turned to stone, not even daring to breathe while she was near.

It was a soft little peck, over before he could react in any way, and yet it left Natsu burning up. His cheek tingled weirdly where she had kissed him, and he had to double-check to be sure his hair had not erupted into flame.

Lucy did not look him in the eye when she pulled back and lay down, pulling the covers over half of her face. It took him a few moments to regain consciousness.

This had been… nice. In fact, it had been so nice he wanted her to do it again. Many times.

But he was not about to stretch his luck.

And so he settled beside her, pulling his feet up and tugging them in, and then awkwardly petting her leg through the covers. She peeked at him from the safety of her cheeks, although he could not see them, were tinged red. The colour had crept all the way up to her temples. He thought about teasing her because she had almost the same skin colour as him, but thought better of it. Lucy could be rather unpredictableon good days, he didn't want to know what might happen to him now if he got on her bad side.

He'd done enough of that already. And it hadn't been nice.

Involuntarily, his thoughts drifted back to Igneel, and what he would tell him. He came up with various scenarios, and none of them played out in his favour. The thought of Igneel sending him away hit him like a bullet to the head, and he almost flinched.

Whatever punishment awaited him, he'd have to accept it.

Lucy turned to her side, watching him as he drove himself insane. He banged his head back against the wall. A warm hand setled on his, making him release the bedsheets he'd been strangeling. He watched her intertwine her fingers with his carefully.

She didn't say anything, just closed her eyes again and held his hand.

Natsu felt like his chest might burst. Too many emotions were waging a war inside him, and so he chose to simply concentrate of the nice feeling of her hand in his, watching the soft rise and fall of her chest as she slowly drifted to sleep.

Even long after she had fallen asleep, Natsu sat there, unwilling to let go of her, telling himself she might not yet be asleep, or that he might wake her if he moved.

He tried sending her nice dreams, but wasn't quite sure if they reached. His own inner workings were too confused right now, always drifting back to what had happened and what soon would, and he did not want to accidentally send her any of that.

But time ticked away, and he knew he had to return to Igneel before it was too late.

It took an inhumane effort to get up and leave Lucy behind.

With every step he took, his heart felt heavier. Part of him hoped to find Igneel sleeping, another wanted to just get it over with. The longer he waited the more pain it would cause them both. Or worse, he might change his mind.

No, he had to do it now.

The flat was quiet when he returned, but Natsu immediately knew Igneel was awake.

It was weird. He'd left the flat only a few hours ago, but so much had happened that now, back inside his familiar four walls, he felt weirdly out of place.

He caught his new cat staring at him from beneath the sofa as he entered the living room. It had went into hiding, and Natsu was tempted to join it down there.

But some things you couldn't run from.

Igneel lifted his head off the sofa's backrest as Natsu walked towards it, blinking the sleep from his eyes as they settled on him. He cleared his throat.

Natsu sat down beside him, feeling the soft pillows beneath him shift like they always did. They sat in uncharacteristic, solemn silence.

It was Igneel who broke it first.

"So what kind of trouble did you get yourself into this time, huh?" he asked with a small, albeit humourless chuckle that was not able to hide his nervosity.

His big hand settled on Natsu's back, and the devil felt like he had been scorched. It was a foreign feeling. If this was what a sinner felt like, he had no interest in returning to hell.

Natsu turned his head, finally meeting his eyes.

And then he told Igneel everything.

By the time he was done, he couldn't look him in the eye. He had worried himself so much, he expected the absolute worst. He was sure he would receive punishment of the worst kind, because he deserved it for hurting Lucy.

Igneel was silent.

When he continued to not say anything, Natsu grew more and more anxious, sneaking a careful glance in his direction. He sat with his elbows on his knees, face in his hands. Rubbing his fingers across his forehead, Igneel unfurrowed his brows and finally opened his eyes.

Natsu felt his entire body tense.

But – and this was, perhaps, worse – there was no anger to be found in his eyes.

He edged backwards just the tiniest bit, his eyes widening. This was usually worse. The lack of anger had always led to the worst punishment whenever he had faced his brother.

Though he had never hurt him directly, of course. The dirty work was carried out without him, and he would always take good care of Natsu when he was released. Natsu had never really thought about this much, his anger always directed at the people hurting him, but now he felt a surprising sort of disdain for Zeref.

Now, his heart was hammering in his chest, and he felt weirdly sick.

"You can punish me now," he told Igneel despondently, looking past him as he spoke, at the new invention sitting at the back of the room, "I won't fight you."

Suddenly, Igneels expression changed to something new. Shock?

Natsu watched in confusion as he reached out to him, his arm settling over his shoulders and pulling him into his chest. His eyes were wide as his face pressed into Igneel's pullover, the smell of wool and oil invading his nose.

"Oh, Natsu…" he mumbled.

His strong arms settled around him, and Natsu just kept staring at his chest, unblinking, unwavering. His initial fear gave way to confusion, but his sense of dread slowly melted away the longer they sat, and nothing happened.

Even as the awkward pose began to feel uncomfortable, Natsu didn't dare move.

Igneel took a deep breath, pushing wool into Natsu's nose. It tickled, and he held in a sneeze. He wondered if maybe this was his punishment.

But then, finally, after what felt like an eternity, Igneel spoke. The sound vibrated through his chest and into Natsu, his familiar baritone weirdly soothing to him even now.

"It is not my job to punish you, Natsu. All life is precious; yours too. What you did today was bad, very bad… but– I would protect my family too. And that is what you are to me, Natsu, if you like it or not. So I won't punish you, and you never have to fear I will. Hurting you is the last thing I want. I have a feeling you're punishing yourself enough already."

Natsu's breath caught in his throat, and then again in the fuzzy fibers of Igneel's pullover as he released a shaky breath.

This was worse than torture.

Never in his life had he been met with so much kindness and compassion. Lucy had shown him what it felt like too, but nothing could have prepared him for this. He grit his teeth. There had been pain in Igneel's voice, a kind of suffering that felt ancient, and so very sad. But there had been love too, and understanding.

A part of Igneel's soul, a very small one, he now realized, felt dark. But it was tinged by sadness, and loss, more than anything else. For the first time, Natsu wondered if Igneel had had a family of his own before him and Lucy.

Natsu felt as if he had been sucker-punched in the gut.

"Im sorry," he heard himself saying before he could stop the words, his fists tightening at his sides. Igneel's hands dropped from his back, and Natsu pulled back slowly. The pain and loss he had felt in Igneel's soul… would someone be feeling the same things tonight because of the person he had killed?

"I know you are," Igneel said. His voice was kind, but tired.

"You forgive me," Natsu simply stated, slowly accepting what had just happened. Igneel nodded. "Lucy said that everyone can be saved, even monsters. You believe that too, don't you?"

Igneel pondered this for a moment, then agreed silently.

"Then I will save you too, as best as I can," Natsu told him, eyes fierce.

Igneel chuckled, shaking his head. "But Natsu, I don't need saving."

"Not now anyways," Natsu mumbled to himself. He didn't add that not all need for saving was of the external kind. That little spot of darkness in Igneel's soul, it had returned because of him, and it could not grow. He would do anything in his power to make him happy again, like he always was.

Guilt ate away at him, gnawing its way through his belly, and Natsu grimaced.

"Well, I'm tired," Igneel informed him non-chalantly as he stretched his arms towards the ceiling and yawned loudly. "I fed your new friend, and gave him some water, but don't think I'll clean up after him tomorrow. He's your responsibility now."

He'd almost forgotten about his cat. But its little eyes were on them, had been the entire time as it sneaked around the flat like a shadow.

"My responsibility," Natsu repeated. Funny, how he suddenly felt like all three of them were his responsibility, how he felt the need to protect them. Family, Igneel had said. It was true, he realized.

They were a family.

The realization did weird things to him, but all he did was clear his throat, nodding absentmindedly at Igneel.

He still didn't exactly regret killing the guy, because it had been to protect Lucy, and if he had to, he'd do it again for her sake. Even if it meant he was not worth saving, he'd have still saved her, and that was all that mattered. But at least he now understood Lucy and Igneel's feelings, and their pain. He understood he'd done wrong.

Natsu went to bed with mixed feelings.

But one thing was clear to him now: he could never hurt anyone again. Not if this was what his actions did to the two people who meant the most to him in this world.

* * *

 _Hope you enjoyed the feels rollercoaster, hehe. For those of you who prefer the action, don't worry, it is awaiting._

 _A massive thanks to all the amazing reviewers!_

 _PuckSabrinaDaphne, CelestialFairy27, DraLuBrina-chan, Brianna, Roxyrox12, Violetwolf, FFXCKING GRUNGE, LovelyShimmer, 13, Mslead, Toaster101, MeGustaZeref, J Luc Pitard, AJ, Searching, GummyBear, Laura, NekoFro, Mechanical-Rose-Sama, IndestructibleLove, HalfBlackWolfDemon, wonderlust714, Crash8573, kirby42280, fanficlove2014 (you left so many! for almost every chapter! thankyou!), BookKeeper3016, BitterSweetTeas, MehKitty, Haus of Lexy, Yuyui Hime, Celtika82, DoomCabbit, bookiealchemist, NaluFTfanatic, RunningWithTheRiptide, waffleham, arielafina , Moon Stone Tiger Lily, Mo0nyMoon, laxusdrayer2324, Socawksahm, Dark Rayuki, SolidScriptJess, chilledoutcat, aswell as the wonderful guest appearances! ;)_


	16. Chapter 16

**I just surprised myself by finishing this chapter, and thought I'd give it to you as a little easter egg. ;) Happy Easter everyone! :3**

 **I'm sorry this one isn't fluffy. :'D Also, because I finished this literally right now, I haven't read over it yet and apologise for any typos you might find, haha.**

 **Can we get this fic to 400 reviews with this chapter? Make a girl happy! :'D You're all amazing as always! Thankyou!**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

 _no rest for the wicked_

* * *

Lucy awoke with a headache.

Calling in sick was a given; there was no place she'd less want to be today than work.

Yesterday's events never left her alone, not even in her dreams, and she awoke feeling less rested than the night before. Her body ached, and she found light bruises where she had fallen.

Her dreams had been a bundle of white and black, of snow and the night sky, of someone chasing her along endless alleys, of blood and screams...and of a young blonde girl.

Lucy blinked at herself in the mirror, only now remembering about her. She hadn't really fit in with the rest, a bright speck of innocence on a dirtied window. Then she shrugged, bowing over to rid her mouth off the remaining toothpaste. Dreams had never been renowned for making much sense, anyways. Maybe it was self-reflection: a peek at her younger, once innocent self. Lucy smiled grimly at her reflection, the dark rings under her eyes and the dry skin. The face of an adult.

After splashing fresh water into her face, and finding she was still not ready to face the world, she made for the kitchen to boil herself a well-deserved cup of coffee.

She noticed she was a little more skittish and jumpy than usual, but figured it was only natural after a night like the one she had lived through. She could be glad if this was all the harm she would carry away from this. Maybe she was stronger than she gave herself credit for after all.

In the end, nothing had happened to her.

Her late night conversation with Natsu resurfaced in her mind, never really having left in the first place.

So much had happened in a single evening. Lucy felt like their relationship had been altered yet again, a lot more sudden and all at once, but in a direction that made her cheeks flush. And yet, she had seen a dark side of him too, one that, yes, she had heard about on many occasions, but somehow had never associated with the Natsu she had come to know over time.

And then there was this one little sentence that kept nagging her above everything else, replaying in her head like a broken record.

 _"I want your soul to be mine, but I want it to be as it is now, not dark or tainted. And I wanna keep it."_

Now, she was not quite sure what to do with his... whatever it had been. There was no way he could have meant it... like that, could he? He was Natsu. A devil. A childish, arrogant, oblivious nuisance. And her best friend.

Lucy almost slammed her cup down onto the counter, slowing her arm in the last moment. Her heart was pounding frantically in her chest. She got up, pacing around her small kitchen.

It couldn't be…

But what if?

What if he didn't even know it himself? It hadn't sounded like he did. Lucy swallowed. She didn't even have the guts to think about her own feelings. Maybe they were alike in that matter. Maybe she was just as oblivious as him. Could it be what she felt for him was more than friendship? And if yes, what would that mean for the both of them?

This was not something she was ready to face right now, and certainly not at 8am. She had neither slept well nor for long, and her headache only grew stronger from all her tumultous thoughts.

And so, for now, she pushed it all to the back of her mind.

With a deep breath and a determined last jug out of her favourite coffee mug, Lucy made for her bedroom, picking her clothes like armour as she prepared to face the day lying ahead of her.

* * *

At the same time, only a few meters away, Natsu awoke.

His head did not hurt, but one of his feet was still asleep, and he groaned as he tried to wiggle his toes and get rid of the unpleasant, tingly feeling. But even as his leg returned to normal, the feeling remained.

As he got up, stretching his tired limbs and flicking his tail, he noticed something was off with the air, and it wasn't Igneel burning pancakes. He sniffed. It smelled muggy, as if the windows had not been opened in a long time.

Scrunching his brows, Natsu made for the door of his little room, carelessly kicking it open with the ball of his foot. It bounced back at him, but he barely noticed, just brushing it off. He was far too preoccupied with the weird shift he felt in the flat,staring at the wallin front of him blankly. It was a muggy, yellow-ish gray, when he was sure it had always been white.

A piece of tapestry had begun to peel off in the corner. Natsu took a step out of his room, turning left to walk towards the living room. Perfect little cobwebs had been woven into corners and hung from the ceiling, immatriculately designed, as if their creators had had too much time on their hands. Natsu's stomach twisted as an odd feeling crept up on him. A single, glistening thread was spun right across his path, and he swished it away as he stepped into the living room.

Dust, too much of it, danced in the light that fell through a single window. The other was gone, replaced by a hole that was amateurishly covered by some plain fabric, as if to keep out the cold.

But Natsu noticed this only at the very edge of his conscious. All his attention was focused on the back of a head, of a person sitting on the couch. Slowly, and with an ever-sinking feeling, he approached it from behind. He didn't have to round it to see who the person was.

"Hello, brother," Zeref spoke calmly, waiting for Natsu to come around. When he did, his gleaming red eyes settled on him, taking in his appearance. Natsu felt the sudden need to burn the sweatpants off, not out of embarassment but because of what they might tell.

"Zeref," he greeted curtly, returning his brother's cold smile.

On the outside, Natsu appeared calm save for the fists clenching at his sides, but he was doing all he could to hold it together. This was not supposed to happen. How was he here?! What was Zeref doing in his living room?

Where was Igneel?

His eyes flicked over to his bedroom door. It was unhinged.

He heard Zeref chuckle, a dry, humourless sound. "You still haven't noticed, have you?"

Zeref petted the empty seat beside him, stirring up dust on the moth-eaten fabric of the couch.

"Sit," he said, but Natsu didn't budge. "Your training really _is_ lacking, young brother. It is wise of you to finally start on your exam, so that you may soon commence on your proper training to become a full devil."

Natsu squinted at him, crossing his arms over his chest. What hadn't he noticed? There was so much to notice all at once, with his emotions in an uproar, that it took him a moment to sort his thoughts. He let his eyes sweep across the room, taking in every little detail.

The flat was falling apart at the seams.

Nobody had lived here for years.

"This isn't real," he finally concluded, and the slight twist of Zeref's lips confirmed his suspicion. "A dream?"

"Very good," Zeref conceded. "Your senses are still sharp, even if your mind is slow."

"What the fuck," Natsu growled, "My mind ain't slow! This is a bloody good illusion, is all."

He admitted it grumpily, but with a good amount of respect. Creating a world like this, even in a dream, took a lot of strength and detailed planning within seconds; maintaining it took concentration and an indomitable will.

Natsu realized, with an unpleasant shiver, that he still had a long long way to go if he ever was to beat his brother in any kind of fight. This realization did not please him. Pouting, he glared at the living room table in front of him.

"Either way," Zeref continued, "I'm here to congratulate you on finally starting your exam." He sighed heavily, fixing his tie. It was an almost blinding white; a stark contrast to the rest of his outfit. His suit was so dark, black almost wasn't the fitting word to describe it. "The soul you sent us was already tainted, but I decided to let it slide. Don't do that again, though."

His eyes were cold, concealing slight irritation, but Natsu knew it was there. He held back a dark smirk. Well then, Zeref better prepare for what he was about to tell him.

"I'm not gonna do it," he told him bluntly, body tense.

Zeref cocked hishead, only slightly, as he looked at his brother with raised brows.

"The exam," Natsu clarified, "I dont care about it anymore. It's boring."

He watched Zeref's expression freeze, and then morph from one of shock to a motionless mask that had never meant anything good. Then he laughed.

"I don't think you understand, Natsu," he said, "You don't have a choice. If you're not a full devil by the time you face me, you will not stand a chance."

"So?" Natsu shrugged. "I'll find a way."

Zeref's lips turned into a thin line, his voice cold enough to freeze his hell over. "You don't understand. I need you to win. I _need_ you to kill me."

His stare was intense, taking even Natsu aback. He'd alwaysrefused to be scared of his brother, but that did not stop the unsettling, dreadful effect he had on everyone if he wanted to.

"What's your problem," Natsu asked, his temper flaring, "You can be ruler of hell forever!"

"I have been ruler of hell for a long time. Longer than you can imagine."

"And now you don't want to be anymore? You're done?"

Zeref blinked at him as if he had just told him a bad joke. "Of course not. It's the only thing I want, and I am never done. And I certainly wouldn't leave it in your hands, not as you are now."

"Charming," Natsu grunted. "Good thing I don't want it, then. Keep your throne forever, for all I care. You're making no sense."

Zeref had never made sense. This was the one certainty you could always count on. He was like a ticking time bomb, exploding again and again at the most random intervals.

And Natsu might have just ignited the fuse.

He was suddenly very glad he was far, far away from his brother. Though he suspected that for Zeref, nothing was impossible. And dreams could turn into nightmares even without the help of the devil any day.

A sudden scream made him whirl around despite himself. He knew it wasn't real. But it felt real nonetheless, and he had reacted on instinct alone. His throat constricted when the scream echoed again, louder this time. It was Lucy's voice.

But there was another, a strangled groan, coming from the other side of the room. Natsu whirled yet again,eyes widening as they landed on Igneel. The man, staggered and then fell, blood spilling out of his mouth and onto the old carpet.

Where his right arm should have been there was only a gaping hole, ripped gabric and torn muscle exposed to the dirty air. His eyes fixed on Natsu's, pleading, as he tried to speak.

Natsu was shaking now, eyes wide in horror. He couldn't tear his gaze away.

"What's wrong?" Zeref asked behind him, a manic tinge to his voice. "I'm merely accessing what's in your mind; you're providing me with these people like you did with this place. Do they matter to you? You can't stop me."

"Stop!" Natsu roared then, finally moving his body. He lounged for the couch, but Zeref was no longer on it when his fist hit, smoke rising from it as the fabric began to burn away. Natsu pulled back his flaming fist, nostrils flaring.

And then he was no longer in the living room at all. Snow landed on his skin, melting right off and rising into the air as hot steam. Natsu turned around frantically, looking for his brother, but he was nowhere to be found. Only his voice echoed in his head.

"Don't complete the exam, and there will be consequences. I will find you, Natsu. And those two people you seem to care so much about, I will find them too. I advise you come to your senses soon."

"Shut up!" he called, his voice echoing off the walls of the narrow alley he found himself standing in. It was dark. But then he heard someone call for him, and suddenly he knew where he was. His feet started carrying him before his mind properly processed what he was doing.

Lucy had called his name. Lucy was in danger.

He ran along the alley for what felt like hours, never relenting even as his thighs started to burn from the strain. He found her on the ground, a man towering above her, and the scene was so familiar, so fresh in his mind, that he mirrored his actions exactly, not missing a single heartbeat.

Except this time, when he grabbed for the man, he reached right through him.

He stood in shock, watching Lucy writhe on the ground, tring to fight the bastard off. She couldn't see him standing there, eyes wide with panic much like her own.

Despite himself, and knowing better, he tried to hit the man again.

"This is what happens when you're not there," a voice whispered in his mind, "When you're not there to stop the sinners."

"Zeref!" Natsu screamed at the sky, flames licking at his skin. "You fucking bastard! _Stop_!"

He received no response but Zeref's dry laugh. And then the ripping of fabric, and Lucy's cries. This couldn't be happening. Natsu could never let this happen, real or not.

He was seething. Lucy started sobbing, calling out for him again, but quieter this time, more a wail than a shout, before her voice was muffled entirely. He closed his eyes, focusing his entire concentration on the magic lying dormant inside him. He willed the flames inside him to grow, grit his teeth so hard he was sure they might break right off, cancelled out any sounds meant to reach him and throw him off, until everything he saw was the flicker of red, hot, angry flames all around him. Natsu screamed until his throat hurt.

Everything was burning, and it felt good.

Then, suddenly, Natsu woke.

He shot upright, drenched in sweat and panting loudly. It took him a moment to realize he was in his room, on his matress - back. But he was wary, not trusting the world around him to be real just yet. He closed his eyes again, feeling around him with his senses, testing every niche and creviche and speck of dust until he could be sure. This was real.

He had done it.

Natsu didn't know how, but he had managed to kick Zeref right out of his brain.

Rolling out of bed and jumping to his feet, he tried to calm himself down. Nothing about what had happened was good. He was safe for now, but Zeref's wrath had been ignited.

His brother would make sure on his promise.

Natsu cursed, kicking a hole into the wall. It didn't help. Nothing he did to calm down helped.

Lucy's sobs echoed in his mind, and he wanted nothing more than to scratch his brains out until it stopped. Lucy. He needed to see Lucy, alive and well, right now.

The old alarm clock on the ground beside his bed showed 8:07am, but Natsu never bothered looking. The time did not matter, and if he had to shake her awake in her bed.

He'd stormed out of his room and into her flat before he knew it, looking around the empty living room. Panic flared in his chest, and he told himself it was stupid. Lucy was okay. She had to be okay.

"Lucy!" he called, trying to sound less desperate than he was.

"Natsu, how did you get in here?! How many times have I told you to-"

He never let her finish as she stood in the doorway of her bathroom, hair damp and towel wrapped around her with one hand lifted reprimandingly into the air. It took him three large strides to cross the space between them, and then she was in his arms.

He hugged her so tightly she gasped as the air left her, barely registering how her hands first settled on his arms and then moved to his back, or how she murmured his name.

All he knew was that she was safe.

And if Zeref wanted to change that, it would have to be over his dead body.

* * *

 **...and so it begins. Let's see where this will take us, eh?**

 **Thanks to all the amazing reviewers!**

 **Fairytail-FMA-fan, AJDrakes, FFXCKING GRUNGE, HalfBlackWolfDemon, Sara lovelymusic, brooke315, WeasleyofFairyTail, NaluFTfanatic, SpeedyMomentum, RunningWithTheRiptide, FlameDragonHime, bookiealchemist, Erzatscarlett, PrincessMophia, Luce, Yuyui Hime, CuteKitty264, Spartaness, heyitsmogan, Phiafairy, infinitelypanda, Cresentgenisi , 13, MeGustaZeref, Twishadowhunter, misssbehavin, BookKeeper3016, laxusdrayer2324, TOASTER101, TheRealIgneel, okmeamithinknow, JellyBeanBubbles, Etrinity, Fullmetal Pyromaniac and one amazing Guest!**


	17. Chapter 17

**It's been a month oops, but I'm glad I finally got this chapter done! I'm very much looking forward to the developments, hehe. And to your thoughts! :3**

 **Also thank you so much for the overwhelming amount of reviews last time! It made me super happy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16:**

 _mirror, mirror on the wall_

* * *

It was rare for Natsu to be in Lucy's flat for any other purpose than to prank her, or steal her food.

Igneel's flat had become their hang out place, their shared home, with Lucy only redrawing into her own space for some occasional, much needed privacy and rest.

But her couch, albeit a tad bit smaller than Igneel's, was just as soft and comfy and lacked the occasional scorch mark. Natsu wiggled into it, scanning the room while Lucy was busy waiting for the water to boil. Hearing her rummage around in the kitchen filled him with a sense of security.

Not having her around made him feel uneasy.

Zeref's threat hung over him like an invisible raincloud, relentlessly drizzling down on him.

Lucy had managed to calm him down after he had raced over to her in his agitated state, but he had not yet found the words or time to explain to her what had happened.

And so, as always, they had settled for a hot cup of tea.

It did not take much longer until Lucy approached him with two cups, setting one down onto the table.

"Boiling hot, the way you like it," she said with a roll of her eyes as she placed the steaming cup in front of him, careful not to burn herself. Then she dropped down onto the sofa, right beside him. Natsu noticed the way her thigh brushed against his.

But, sadly, there were more important matters to be given attention right now.

Natsu took a sip of the scalding water, enjoying the soothing feeling as it slid down his throat. He turned towards Lucy after setting his cup down, his expression grave as he took a deep breath.

"I dreamt about my brother," he told her seriously, unblinking.

Lucy blinked for the both of them. "Oh," she said. "…good?"

Despite himself, Natsu was amused by her reaction for a moment, shaking his head with a smile. Humans.

"It wasn't a good dream," he continued, the seriousness of the situation settling back in. It was so easy to forget about it here in Lucy's living room, with her smiling by his side. Everything was so… normal. Like it always had been.

Natsu wished it really had just been a stupid dream.

"He told me he would hurt you, or Igneel, if I didn't continue my exam."

"Natsu." Lucy reached out, placing her hand on top of his. It was warm from holding her cup, and he rejoiced when her thumb began stroking soothing circles into his skin. "It was just a dream. We're okay, all of us."

"You don't understand."

His voice was urgent, and Lucy unconsciously leaned in closer. He could see the deep, warm brown of her attentive eyes, the plum lipstick she'd put on, the gentle concern clouding over her cute face. There was a little scratch on her cheek, he only now realized. It was too small to be noticed or to be anything of importance compared to the other things that might have happened to her, but it enraged him nonetheless.

It was an irrational feeling, but it ate him up in seconds as he stared at her cheek, Lucy fidgeting under his intense stare. Then, without even noticing, he brought a hand up and gently caressed the tiny wound with his thumb.

Lucy went stockstill under his scrutiny, her breath flattening. She must have noticed the anger in his eyes, because she smiled carefully as she brought a hand up to cover his, pulling it off her cheek and cradling it in hers.

"I'm fine," she reassured him, and he was surprised to find it sounded genuine. "I didn't even notice it was there until I put on my makeup. Really, it's nothing, you should see the oth-"

But she thought better than to complete her sentence, choosing it would not be necessary to tell him about the bruises on her body. She brushed him off with a soft laugh, but kept his hand in hers.

"Lucy, I can't let you get hurt again," he said gravely, sighing as his free hand came to rub over his forehead. "If I can't even protect you from some asshole, then…"

"Natsu." He looked up into her eyes, his expression pained. The same pain swept over to Lucy, made her feel worry and concern and a deep need to know just what unsettled Natsu so much. "Tell me about your dream."

And so he did.

"Our dreams aren't normal dreams," he said in the end, telling her what she had already figured out, "We can create and manipulate them, shape them to our will. And we sometimes use them to communicate, too."

"So that means… the literal devil is after us," Lucy stated blankly, taking a mechanical sip of her tea as her voice drowned to a whisper. "Great."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, looking ashamed. "It's all because of me."

Her eyes widened at his apology, lips opening in protest. An angry little flame ignited in her chest.

"No, Natsu. It's not your fault. It's _his_ fault," she said with vigour, silently cursing the man that was anything but an older brother to him. Without thinking, she took his hand into hers again. "I'm so proud of you. You… refused. You told him you wouldn't continue the exam. Natsu…"

"But now he's after you."

"That's okay."

"Maybe if I just left…-"

"That is out of the question!" Lucy flared up, and when he saw the fear on her face something like relief overcame him. There was guilt, too. It was his fault that all this was happening. Yet, at the same time… he wasn't ready to give them up.

He was selfish like that.

And as long as he was here, he could do his very best to protect them.

"Guess you win," he admitted grumpily, trying to hide his emotions. He wasn't sure it worked.

Lucy smiled. He had a feeling she was seeing right through him.

Her thumb drew circles into his skin, and he shivered pleasurably.

The atmosphere had relaxed between them now that everything was said and done, but something sparked between them as they sat there, unwilling to let go.

Lucy opened her mouth, but closed it again when she saw his expression.

"Lucy…" he started, looking for words but coming up empty. He looked a little helpless. Turning his hand upwards, he grasped hers to fondle it between his large hands, considering the contrast of her pale skin with his deep red.

His eyes moved back up to her face, a clouded look taking over as he leaned in ever so slightly.

His heart gave a surprised jolt when her eyes dropped to his lips.

Unconsciously, he licked them. And then, he could swear, she moved in too.

Of all the times he'd teased her with his body or even tried to seduce her, never had he felt anything even remotely like this. He was quite sure this almost kiss alone was affecting him more than her. What a lousy devil he was.

Oh, he could as well screw it.

On a whim, he threw all caution to the wind, moving in with the sudden wild determination to kiss her now or never breathe again.

But in that exact moment her eyes widened in shock, and her entire body froze and jumped like a spring as she gasped audibly.

For a horrible second Natsu thought she might have reacted to him, but then thought better of it.

"What's wrong?" he asked instead, suddenly alert.

"The mirror," she breathed, visibly distressed. "Just now, I swear I saw someone in the mirror."

"Shit," he cursed under his breath. Had they found him already?

He really shouldn't be surprised, but he'd hoped for at last some more time.

But there was no one behind Lucy or anywhere near the mirror's range; he had the room entirely in his vision. Which meant…

Leaning in closer to Lucy's ear,he lowered his voice.

"He's in the mirrors," he murmured, "Don't look."

Lucy sat frozen in shock,her body tense.

"Too late," she whispered, and he reluctantly followed her line of sight.

There, in the mirror on the wall, a black cloud had obstructed any reflection one might have found. Slender, pale fingers curled around the frame as tendrils and black vines wrapped around it until it cracked.

Lucy flinched, and not only because it was an expensive piece she had snuck out of her father's house years ago, one of the luxuries she'd not wanted to give up.

Even though she'd taken Natsu's words very seriously, it just hadn't felt _real_. It was all so impossible and insane that _knowing_ something and actually _seeing_ it were two very different things.

It felt real now.

Her body refused to move, but her mind was busy fluttering into a blind panic. What now?

Natsu on the other hand jumped up, apparently frantic to spring into action.

"Get away," he ordered almost harshly, his fists curling at his sides, "This guy is bad news."

"You don't say," she retorted with a shaky laugh.

The vines reached the ground now, and long black hair fell in waves that obscured the face that poked out of the mirror, its surface appearing liquid.

"Master END," he beckoned with a disturbingly sweet voice, turning his head to reveal the large smile on his face. His eyes were even more red than she'd seen with either Natsu or Gajeel. "What a pleasure."

"Cut the crap, Mard," Natsu growled, stepping in front of Lucy.

She took a step backwards, her heart beating up to her chest. The devil, clad in black from head to toe, dusted off his long coat as he set foot into her flat, the mirror returning to normal behind him. He turned, scrutinizing his appearance.

"The things I take upon myself to get rid of vermin," he murmured to himself, brushing a lock of hair out of his face.

A cold shiver ran down Lucy's spine. This one wasn't like Gajeel, harsh but with a spark of goodness inside. This one was ice cold.

"Lucy," Natsu urged again, "Get away from him. I'll take care of this."

Despite herself, and the fact she did not want to leave him, reason told her Natsu would be better off without her. As much as she wanted to help, she would only be in the way, would she not?

And so, reluctantly, she turned and dashed for the closest door – the bathroom.

Not knowing what was going on unnerved her, but soon enough she could hear the clear sounds of a fight, and the crashing of furniture.

Again.

Why was it always her flat that turned into battle ground?!

Looking around the room, she tried to find some kind of weapon. Her eyes settled on her hair straightener first, but she tossed the idea aside. As much as she'd like to burn that arrogant guy's hair off, she didn't really want to invite him into her bathroom and ask him to sit down in front of the mirror.

Speaking of… Her heart dropped when she saw the inklings of black swirls in the corners of her bathroom mirror, and she quickly averted her eyes. Grabbing a spray can of deodorant at her side, she backed up towards the door.

As much as she didn't want to look, her eyes couldn't help but flit back to the mirror, trying to assess if there was any immediate danger. One glance – whether it summoned the threat or just confirmed it – was enough.

Ripping the door open, Lucy stormed back outside, where Natsu had just been about to kick in the door, it seemed. He halted at the last second, both their eyes wide as they stared at the other.

"He's after you," is all he said before grabbing her free hand and pulling her along the corridor. He'd given up fighting in favour of getting her to safety. His words hadn't been hollow, had they? Her safety really was his priority.

They were dashing for the door, she realized, but now her narcissistic tendencies were getting the better of her. That small mirror just beside her entrance door really hadn't been necessary, had it?!

She cursed herself as it burst, and the devil called Mard blocked their way.

Natsu seemed reluctant to move on, not letting go of her hand, but this really was not the time. Lucy had had enough.

Stomping past him, she raised her weapon of choice. The devil's eyes widened in surprise before he had the chance to react, and Lucy emptied the contents of her vanilla scented deo right in his face.

Natsu ushered her out the door in a flash, and she only heard Mard's surprised cry after the door had already shut. She gasped as he released her down onto the ground, seething with anger so much his eyes blazed a dangerous crimson. A horrified expression still clung to his face, and he cast her a disbelieving look.

"You're insane, you know that?" he wheezed, and she gave a desperate laugh, exhilaration and adrenaline making her feel lightheaded.

"C'mon," he rasped, "We have to get out of here!"

They stumbled down the staircase in a desperate hurry, but Lucy was occupied with worrisome thoughts. They might get out of the house - but what then? They needed a plan.

Glancing over at Natsu, she wondered if he had thought that far.

But he surprised her when he picked her up, picking up the pace to a speed that surely was not human. She clung to his throat as he burst through the entrance door, turning a sharp left. He clearly had a destination.

"Wait, Natsu, where are we going?" she gasped, still out of breath.

"To the river."

* * *

 _Yesss, some action going on again! But I hope you enjoyed the more loving moments too. B) Natsu is growing up, isn't he? B))_

 _Thankyou so much for the reviews last time! Copying all those names made my wrist cramp, hahah. I wanna do it again._

 **DraLuBrina-chan the fan of fairys Layhha Lady Chalcedony Avengerika queen-in-shining-armour Brianna Aya Rose 13 Mechanical-Rose-Sama sarara1.8 Soul-less-mermaid oxXSilverTomboyXxo fanficlove2014 broooke315 High Pristess of the Demented imeaniguess809 Searching Etrinity arielafina NaluhasNashi Ghost of Beverly Drive DraLuBrina-chan laxusdrayer2324 SpeedyMomentum pucksabrinadaphne CelestialFairy27 TOASTER101 Fairytail-FMA-fan MehKitty xhearthemusic CuteKitty264 Erzatscarlett RunningWithTheRiptide FireDragonPhia TheCaptainOfShips FFXCKING GRUNGE MeGustaZeref Sara lovelymusic Twishadowhunter kirby42280 bookiealchemist Rogue-Flamez**


	18. Chapter 18

Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry for the slow updates. But I'm doing my best. I hope I'll have more motivation to write this story soon, because I want to finish it as badly as you. :'D

On another, related note though:  
If you leave reviews like "Are you going to make us wait again?" or the ever-lovely "update" (those kind and inspiring reviews are mostly left, you guessed it, _right after an update_ ), then I'd rather you don't review at all. Those reviews are not only rude but also the opposite of motivating. When I get amail saying I have a new review I get excited to read it, and if one of those awaits me I don't only wanna print it out so that I can physically burn it, but it also makes me want to never touch the story again. B( I'm not saying this as a warning; I wouldn't ever stop writing or 'punish' anyone by not posting, but it's just a mere fact. It gets harder to motivate myself if this is all the feedback I get.

As for the other very lovely reviewers, thank you so very much! You keep me going and never fail to put a smile on my face! :3

* * *

 **chapter 17**

 _down by the river_

* * *

"To the river? Why?"

"Devils hate the cold," Natsu told her as he ran, and then, as an afterthought, added, "And being clean."

Lucy would have laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious, because this was a statement she knew to be true all too well. Countless fights to get him into the shower flashed before her mind's eye.

What a ridiculous thing to be thinking about while fleeing from a murderous devil.

The cold was already beginning to get to her, her bare feet freezing even though they did not touch the snow-covered ground. She wondered what he planned on doing once they actually made it to the river.

"Wouldn't… wouldn't the church be better?"

Natsu huffed out a humourless laugh.

"Remember how much good that holy water did on me?" he asked, and Lucy bit her tongue.

She'd have to trust him on this one. After all, it took a devil to know one. If anyone could save them now, it was Natsu.

And so he ran on, with Lucy in his arms. It didn't quite sit right with her; she felt utterly helpless. But she knew if she asked to be let down they would not only lose a vital lead but also be slowed down considerably in the long run.

If she could do anything to help, it would have to be with her head. That had always been her strength, after all.

Hanging on tightly, she looked out behind Natsu's back, trying to spy anyone approaching. They'd left the last rows of houses behind, more and more trees seaming their surroundings as they dashed for the river.

It wasn't far from her house, but now it felt like ages. She couldn't make out anyone between the branches and tree trunks, but remained tense. That crazy guy certainly wouldn't just give up.

"What will you do once we get to the river?" she asked, lips close to his ear. "Will you fight him?"

Natsu grunted, slowing down slightly as they approached the water.

Did he really not have a plan after all?

"Wait," Lucy suddenly said, hands tightening around him, and he obediently halted. "The water's surface - that's also a reflection, isn't it?!"

He let her down, then, grabbing her shoulders as she faced him.

"We have to be fast," he urged, "And you can't let go of me, understand?"

"What's your plan?" she asked, unnerved now.

"We'll lure him out, and then we'll jump. _After_ I deal him enough damage that he won't be able to handle the cold water."

"We'll jump into the river?! The water's freezing!"

"That's why I said you have to stay with me! As long as you hold onto me, I'll make sure it's not impossible for you. I gotcha, okay? I'll keep you safe and warm."

His eyes were sincere and determined, and Lucy found herself nodding.

"O-okay," she agreed, her heart jumping into her throat. But then another, important thought occurred to her, and her eyes widened. "But… you're a devil too. Will you be okay?"

The grin that flashed across his face was dark.

"I have to," he simply said, and before Lucy could protest he grabbed her wrist and dragged her along, approaching the water. The snow crunched beneath their feet, and Lucy's toes immediately turned painfully cold, even though at the moment she barely noticed.

"What if he doesn't show up?" Lucy asked nervously, "Oh god, what if he stayed behind and went after-"

But her worries were forsaken in favour of even bigger ones as the black swirls she had seen earlier danced on the water's surface like fog. Mard appeared from the growing shadows with a weird kind of grace, smiling his humourless smile.

"Did you really think you could escape me?" he sneered.

"Not at all," Natsu grinned, stepping in front of Lucy. "You don't mind me scattering your ashes over this river, do you? It's a nice spot for a funeral."

Mard didn't even bat an eyelash. Instead, he flicked his wrist, and Natsu tensed.

"To your left," Lucy gasped, watching in horror as the roots of a tree came to life.

Natsu whirled around just in time to burn off the tip of a root that lashed down at him like an angry whip, cursing under his breath. She noticed that he stayed close, between her and the line of attack. Gritting her teeth, she tried to come up with a way to help, but found none other than to be attentive, ready to warn him of any attacks he might miss.

She hated to be an inconvenience.

But seeing Natsu fight momentarily distracted her from her task. While she'd seen him brawl and fight and even _kill_ before, this was something else. The intent to destroy certainly was there, but now she could truly watch him as he moved, as magic turned to flame in his hands, and she felt oddly transfixed.

He was dead serious, but he was having _fun_. She could see it in his devilish grin as he ripped through an array of roots, setting them ablaze as they dropped around him. His attention turned to Marde, and he licked his lips as he began advancing on the older devil.

His eyes blazed, turning a dangerous red that she had come to associate with real, serious danger and bloodlust. The image of him in that alley flashed before her mind's eye, his hand dripping in blood...

"Wait, Natsu," Lucy urged, but he didn't react. Hadn't he said this was not a fight he could win? The adrenaline made him forget his senses, and Lucy balled her hands into fists.

She had to do something.

Ignoring her fears, Lucy pushed forward, taking a few large steps before she collided with his back. Her arms snaked around his sides and she pulled taught, closing her eyes.

"Please, Natsu," she whispered, hoping to reach him, "I don't want you to get hurt."

Slowly, he relaxed in her arms.

When he turned his head, his expression was one of surprise and disbelief.

"Lucy?"

Carefully, she glanced up at him, her eyes pleading silently. Realization slowly dawned on his face.

"The plan." He nodded, grabbing her shoulders to try and reassure her of his return to reason. "Get close to the river. Don't worry."

With that, and one last glance, he turned around again, but his movements were much more subdued and precise. She'd seen it, the red fog in his eyes that had slowly dispersed, and so Lucy decided to trust him wholly.

As soon as Natsu flung himself at his opponent, she used the distraction to scurry closer to the riverbank. Her feet were bright red, and no amount of adrenaline was enough to entirely subdue the hurt that crept up her legs. The snow was slippery in places, and once she almost fell the rest of the way down.

Behind her, she heard Natsu roar, and felt a sudden rush of heat at her back.

But when she turned, she couldn't see any signs of a fire. All she saw past the small elevation in the ground was a few charred branches on the already naked trees.

And then suddenly Natsu slid into her field of vision, tumbling down the hill. He crashed into her and almost would have toppled them right into the river then and there, had Lucy not managed to slow him down.

His skin was charred, and he grinned up at her.

But something was off; Luc couldn't quite put her finger on it. He was smiling, but it looked like he was in pain - and was trying desperately to hide that fact.

Lucy furrowed her brows.

"What's wrong?"

But Natsu ignored her, jumping to his feet.

"You ready?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder. "We don't have much time."

"What did you do?" Lucy inquired again, and again received no answer.

His hand came around her waist when Lucy suddenly remembered exactly what they were about to do, and what that entailed.

"Wait," she gasped, "My phone! I still have my phone on me!"

Natsu blinked at her in incomprehension.

"That small box? What about it?"

"It's not waterproof!" Lucy wailed, momentarily forgetting their dire situation. She pulled out her beloved phone, only a few months old, and saw a message flashing on the screen. Cana, asking for a girl's night. She almost laughed at the ridiculousness of her situation.

Real life seemed so far away.

"Well it's either losing your phone or eternity in purgatory, whaddaya say?"

"This thing cost me a fortune!"

Rolling his eyes, Natsu flung her over his shoulder without another word. The phone dropped into the snow, accompanied by a shocked gasp from Lucy.

"Better hold on tight!" he called, and she felt his body tense.

Her mind still had not wrapped around the fact that she was about to jump into a freezing river in the middle of winter. Without Natsu, she would die.

With that thought in mind, she gripped him so tightly he yelped in surprise.

Behind them, one of the trees fell and an angry snarl sounded through the air.

And then he jumped.

Lucy hadn't been prepared for the pain.

As the river swallowed them up and water closed in around them, it felt like a million needles were digging into her skin, a pain so instant and all-encompassing that she found herself incapable of thinking or feeling everything else.

Her entire body screamed in pain, and yet her mouth remained closed.

There was nothing Lucy wanted more than for it to just stop. To not feel anything.

Drowning sounded like an invitation.

And then, slowly, she realized the cold was gone. At first, the warmth hurt just as much, her body unable to even distinguish between heat and cold anymore. But then she felt movements around her, a warm body pressed against hers, and she remembered things past the pain.

Her feet came to life in a panic, her entire body focused simply on surviving, to get to the surface and _breathe_. How long had they been under?

Her vision went blurry, the temptation to open her mouth overwhelming her.

It hurt to even curl her fingers, but she gripped the fabric of Natsu's shirt as tightly as she could. She thought he was pulling them both upwards.

But she wasn't quite sure.

She did not remember which direction was the right one anymore.

Maybe they were sinking after all. The world was becoming darker around her.

The darkness seemed so comforting now, as if she could forget all her worries as soon as she allowed herself to sink into it. Her chest ached for that one saving breath. All she had to do was give in.

And so she did.

* * *

 _What will happen now? You'll have to wait (hopefully too long) and see. I'll really try and update as fast as I can, but I have nothing written in advance so I can't give you a specific date. :/_

 _Thanks for the nice reviews last time! :)_

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	19. Chapter 19

_Another update so soon? What's going on? :'D I actually finished this chapter two days after the last update, and am halfway done with Chapter 19 already! :o So hopefully you'll get another update next Sunday! ^o^_

 _Your kind words must have motivated me! B) Thanks so much!_

* * *

 **chapter 18:**

 _the cold never bothered me anyway_

* * *

Lucy awoke to a world of pain.

There was not a single part of her body that did not ache terribly, which at least meant that she was most likely alive.

She was dropped onto hard ground with little care, immediately turning her head to the side to cough up water. Her lungs burned even more painfully than the rest of her body, every single part of her being boiled alive. Her arms gave out beneath her, and she dropped her head back onto the ground. There it was again, the stinging in her head. It was too hot.

But she could not do a thing besides lying still, her body refusing to follow her foggy mind's commands.

Until she realized she wasn't feeling hot at all. She was _freezing_.

It was the kind of cold beyond temperature, where the body could no longer distinguish between heat or cold, and all that was left was pain.

A weight she hadn't realized had existed suddenly lifted off her, and she blinked up at the grey skies as they came into view. It was the low wail at her side that finally snapped her out of her stupor.

It all came rushing back.

"Natsu!" she gasped, finally managing to push herself upright.

River water dripped off her, clinging to her clothes and already turning them stiff and frozen. She couldn't feel her fingers.

But all concern about her own state slipped her mind when she laid eyes on Natsu.

He'd dropped right beside her, and only now did she realize he must have carried them both out of the water. But unlike her, who at least held onto consciousness, he seemed to be in unfathomable pain.

Lucy watched in horror as he writhed on the ground, gritting his teeth as he tried not to scream. His skin had lost all colour, making him seem almost blue. But the pain he was struggling with seemed to go deeper, seemed to make hers pale in comparison.

In a panic, Lucy reached for him, placing her trembling fingers on his cold face.

"Natsu?!" she whispered, unable to raise her voice past a desperate croak.

His eyes fluttered, and for a moment they fixed on her almost feverishly before dropped closed again, one of his hands moving to grab her wrist as he shook his head and pushed an agonized groan through closed teeth.

Leaning over him, Lucy shook him slightly, but received no reaction but a whimper.

She had to get him out of here.

Hell, she had to get _herself_ out of here, or they'd both die from hypothermia. It was rare people came by here, even more so in the middle of the day when most were at work, and even if they did… well, Natsu wasn't exactly your typical next door neighbour. She couldn't let anybody see him, especially not in his state.

Lucy tried not to cry, desperately focusing on the practical task at hand.

One step at a time.

"We're gonna go home Natsu, okay?" she murmured, fighting to retain her voice as her teeth chattered. The warmth Natsu had exuded had disappeared, and the fact that even his ever-hot skin felt cold to the touch could mean nothing good.

Suddenly her head whipped around, panic flooding through her as she searched for Marde.

But the devil was nowhere to be seen.

This part of their plan seemed to have worked, at least. Maybe Natsu would remember more than her.

Because he would be okay again, right? He had to.

Pulling him upwards, Lucy flung an arm around his shoulders and wedged into his side. His head swayed from side to side, but his arm moved around her waist and gripped her weakly.

She had to keep him at least partly conscious. It would be impossible for her to carry him all the way back if he lost consciousness altogether. He was heavy as she hoisted him up and he stumbled forward,almost too heavy to hold. But if they fell now, Lucy wasn't sure she could get back up.

And so she pushed on, focused solely on every step she had to take.

Beside her, Natsu breathed heavily, his grip on her tightening and loosening in unsteady intervals. With every step they took, Lucy thought she couldn't go on. But she did.

 _Just one more._

She kept repeating those three words in her head like a mantra, forcing her feet to move on.

Everything else turned to a blur that she tuned out; the surroundings, the cold, the pain… they all dimmed down to a uniform buzz until she could no longer feel a thing. She didn't even register where she was until she suddenly found herself confronted with a door.

Confused, she stared at the handle.

The task of reaching forward seemed impossible.

She'd spent so much time just moving her feet that it felt she had forgotten how to do anything else. Natsu coughed, shivering in her hold as he slumped forward. It felt as if time was as frozen as their bodies, as if he was moving in slow motion as he leaned against the door – and it moved.

With some faraway part of her mind, Lucy realized it must not have been properly closed all along; neither of them had bothered, and Mard certainly did not care about their safety.

Together, they stumbled into the hallway.

Warmth enveloped them as they entered the building, and Lucy felt her legs give in under her. It could barely be warmer than outside, but she suddenly felt as if she was burning up all over again.

"Lucy," Natsu rasped, his voice barely there, but she was sure she'd heard it.

His arm tightened around her waist before she could cave in, pulling her into his side.

And suddenly it was him dragging _her_ , up the stairs and along the corridor, so painfully slow that it felt like they'd never arrive, until, finally, they collapsed right between the doors to Lucy and Igneel's flats.

Natsu hissed in pain as he fell half on top of her, and Lucy felt his nose push into her cheek.

"Stay…awake…" she heard him mumble, but the pain was re-emerging now that her body had broken down, and she just wanted it to finally be gone.

She shook her head, shutting her eyes tightly as her body shook. Faintly, she felt him move above her and then heard a knock. The sound of a door. A gasp.

And then strong hands were on her, _warm_ hands, and she flinched at the heat as she was pulled upwards and flung over Igneel's shoulder. She wanted to tell him to look after Natsu, that Natsu was in pain, but her lips wouldn't move.

Everything felt unreal.

When she was placed on soft pillows and listened to Igneel cursing as he ripped at her wet clothes, when something warm and soft was placed above her that still did nothing to help her violent shivering, when the room fell quiet again as his footsteps faded…

The constant pain had numbed her, and now Lucy found that warming up was far more painful still. As life and feeling slowly returned to her, she wished it wouldn't. It _hurt_.

She had no idea how long she simply lay like this, faintly recognizing that she was not alone.

A weight settled beside her, and Lucy wrinkled her nose when she felt glass against her lips.

"Drink that," Igneel said, and as she slightly opened her lips fresh water flooded her mouth. It was only room temperature, but it felt warm and soothing on her tongue.

"You're too cold," he continued, and pain and worry were clear in his voice, "You need to warm up a tiny bit more, so the heat won't be too much for your system. Read 'bout that once, people dropping dead because they heated up too fast… Good I did, eh?"

His laugh was weak and did nothing to calm his nerves. " But in a while you can take a warm bath, what do you say?"

Weakly, Lucy nodded. "Natsu…" she murmured. "Is he okay? Please…"

Igneel paused, putting the glass down on the table. She watched him pinch his nose.

"He asked me to look after you," he sighed, allowing some of his distress to show through, "I have no idea what to do. He's not okay, but he's not like you. I assume it's because of his nature, but he seems to be not merely hypothermic. I wonder…"

Struggling, Lucy tried to sit up, ignoring the pain that shot through her limbs. Gently, Igneel pushed her back down.

"You can't move yet," he chided, "You'll be okay, but you need to rest, Lucy. I promise I'll bring you to him after I put you in the bath, okay?"

He was pleading with her even though she could not possibly hope to overpower him either way, and so Lucy sank back, furrowing her brows in pain. He was right. She needed to be okay if she wanted to help him in any way.

Whatever it was that was hurting him, there had to be something she could do.

But her brain was working slowly, and soon she drifted into an uneasy slumber.

* * *

She awoke when she was lowered into warm water, her eyes flying open at the contact.

"Ah," she heard Igneel mumble, probably more to himself than her, "Good."

The sensation of the water enveloping her felt wonderful, and she realized the pain had died down to an uncomfortable buzz and a throb behind her temples. She sighed, finally feeling in her control of her senses again.

Turning her head to the side, she saw Igneel had turned his back towards her, sitting on a little stool beside the bathtub.

Lucy blinked, questioning his odd behaviour, until she risked a glance downwards and a soft, surprised _oh_ left her lips.

Of course. She was naked.

Redness crept onto her cheeks, both on her and Igneel's behalf.

"Thanks," she said after a moment of collecting her mind, and she turned towards him with a smile. "You saved us back there."

She tried not to think about Natsu too much. Igneel had promised her she'd be with him again soon, so she would endure.

"Sorry for…" he waved a hand in her direction, clearing his throat, "… undressing you, but I had to get the clothes off. I had to cut some, so there's that… but I, uh, I left your underpants…"

Lucy's blush deepened. She risked another glance, clearing away the foamy bubbles that were beginning to form in the scented water, and indeed, her panties were intact. Innocent, cotton ones, and Lucy blessed the heavens for her dressing choice that morning.

"It's okay," she laughed, trying to overplay her embarrassment.

"You're gonna have to explain what the hell happened to you two," Igneel scolded, "But for now I just need both of you to be okay."

The sorrow in his voice pained her, and she wanted to reach out and hug the man she had come to love and trust like a father. Instead, she remained silent, sinking deeper into the water.

"I hope it's okay that I stay," he spoke again after a while of silence, "I want to make sure you don't faint or anything."

If Lucy had thought that the gratitude she felt couldn't grow any more, she was proven wrong.

"You're lovely," she smiled, absentmindedly building a little foam tower on her knee. "I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you."

She never wanted to leave this bath again.

But there were more important things than her comfort.

"Can you… Can you take me to Natsu now?"

Igneel half turned his face, and she caught the hint of a smile.

"Oh Lucy," he sighed affectionately, "You've got it good, don't you?"

"I don't know what you mean," Lucy mumbled, and felt warmth of an altogether different kind spread all the way to her ears.

Igneel just chuckled. It hadn't sounded convincing even to her own ears.

But he turned serious again as he stood up, still with his back to her.

"Do you need help getting dressed? I can carry you to his room if you need help walking. And–"

"Igneel, I'm fine," Lucy soothed. It wasn't quite the truth, but at least she felt like she could handle some simple tasks. But as she tried to get up, stars appeared in front of her eyes. "…maybe I need a little help after all."

Lucy managed to get dressed while sitting on the stool, large clothes that without a doubt had not been made for women. But as vain as she was about her appearance, right now she could not have cared less.

Walking proved easier when supported by Igneel, and so they slowly wandered the corridor together. The few meters to Natsu's room were as exhausting as running a marathon, and Lucy felt the need to sleep overwhelm her all over again.

"I wish I could tell you he's better." Igneel's voice was grave. "But he seems to be in a lot of pain. I wish I could do something, but… nothing helped. He kept asking for you though, so maybe at least your presence will soothe him a bit…"

Igneel sighed again. He seemed to have aged a decade since she'd last seen him, worry lines running deep on his tired face. He'd carried them inside and had been looking after them the entire time, who knew how long; he must be on the verge of collapse too.

As she stood between him and the door, hand already on the handle, she leaned forward to carefully peck his cheek.

Igneel's eyes widened, but then a warm smile settled on his face, and he ruffled her damp hair.

"You get some rest too," she whispered as she opened the door. "I can do this."

Now his grin turned mischievous, and Lucy was glad to catch a glimpse of her usual crazy inventor. "Sure you can," he chuckled, "Have _fun_."

With an offended gasp, Lucy slammed the door shut in his face.

She stumbled the last steps to Natsu's mattress, dropping down in exhaustion. A mountain of blankets obstructed her view, and she carefully reached for one.

She'd rarely ever been in here, but her attention was not on the simple little room.

"Natsu?" she whispered as she pulled at one of the blankets, and then startled when an arm shot out from under the covers, snatching her wrist. With a jerk on his and a yelp on her part, she was pulled into the jumble.

She was about to protest, but the heat beneath the blanket shut her up effectively. Although her body still felt cold, it finally could appreciate high temperatures again, and it felt _heavenly_. Shuffling her way through the mess, she finally managed to slip underneath properly, kicking a few of the blankets away so she might at least breathe.

Then her body pushed against another, and she stilled. Slowly, she turned to her side, coming face to face with Natsu.

The sight of him alone made a wave of relief flood through her, and she couldn't help but smile as she met his eyes, forgetting about everything else.

"Lucy," he whispered, sounding equally relieved. His breath was coming flat, and she noticed the cold sweat clinging to him.

"Hey," she murmured, pulling her hand from his grip only to interlace their fingers. They were both trembling.

Instead of saying another word, he pulled her into him, wrapping her securely into his arms. He continued to shake, but all Lucy could do was hold tight. At last, she could no longer hold back the tears, and so she silently cried away her pain and relief and every emotion in between.

"We're okay," she sniffled, "We're alive. You'll be okay."

His grip tightened, but she felt him nod. He seemed to be in as much pain as he'd been when she'd laid eyes on him at the river.

"What's wrong with you, Natsu?" she whispered, stroking a hand through his sweaty hair. "Is it because you're a devil?"

"Magic…" he mumbled, burying his face in the crook of her neck and inhaling deeply. "Punishment…"

Lucy couldn't make sense of his words at the moment.

Anyway, the feeling of his breath tickling her neck kept her from thinking straight. She shivered, but just this once it was not because of the cold that clung to her bones.

Drawing back just enough to see his face, Luc bumped her nose against his, and his eyes fluttered open, hazily fixing on her.

"I was so scared for you today," she whispered, her lips pressing together in worry.

A small smile crossed his features, and for once he looked not to be in pain.

"Are you feeling a bit better?"

"Mhh," he hummed, his eyes half-closed, his nose pressing against hers enthusiastically until until their foreheads touched. "There's something…"

Lucy's eyes widened at the sound of his voice, raw and scratchy.

She waited for him to go on, bringing a hand to his cheek. Her thumb stroked soothing circles along his heated skin. It had regained some of its colour.

"There's something that bastard interrupted that I kinda wanted to finish," he finally rasped, his eyes only gaining in intensity as they burned into hers.

Lucy's heart skipped a beat.

The time before Marde had appeared, when they'd sat in her flat over a cup of tea… it all seemed so long ago now. But the memory was still fresh, of their entangled hands, of the way his eyes had clouded over as he'd leaned in…

Igneel was right, and she knew it. There was no use in denying or fighting it.

She'd got it good.

It was so easy to give in.

And so she did.

Closing what little distance remained between their lips, Lucy kissed him softly. A million shivers travelled through her entire body at the simple contact alone, and when his lips gingerly responded , moving against hers, she couldn't help but smile widely.

"Me too," she whispered against his mouth.

Keeping her eyes closed, she brushed her lips across his, breathing in his close proximity, his intoxicating scent, feeling his breath on her lips, his skin against hers, his hair tickling her forehead.

They remained like this, neither speaking for the longest time. Neither pulling back even an inch. Lucy's hand slowly moved from his cheek to his head, carefully stroking through his hair. Then it was him who kissed her, just as innocent, just as soft.

When he released her lips, she finally opened her eyes, returning to earth.

She tasted him on her lips as she looked into his bottomless black eyes, understanding passing between them without a single word being spoken.

They both smiled, very faintly, before Lucy buried her face in his chest.

"I feel a lot better now," he whispered after a moment, and she giggled.

She did not remember when she fell asleep, but it could not have taken long.

* * *

 _...and no I'm not sorry for that chapter title. Hahaha._

 _I hope you enjoyed that first kiss! I sure did hehe._

 _Thanks for the lovely reviews!_

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	20. Chapter 20

This is essentially the fanfiction equivalent of an anime filler episode. :p But I think that is exactly the reason it will please you. Heh.

* * *

 **Chapter 19:**

 _i fell in love with love one night_

* * *

Natsu would have awoken entirely content if not for the residue of the sharp, stinging pain of hellfire he had felt for the last hours. The ache had died down to a dull pain at last, but it was far from gone. But this... he could handle.

Especially if it meant he could stay exactly like he was for a little while longer.

It was comfortably warm beneath his blanket fortress, warmer than usual, which he guessed he could thank the body for that was pressed closely against his. Really, Lucy was hogging him like a spider monkey. Not that he complained.

His content smile slowly weakened as he recalled everything that had happened the day before. Hell, they'd gotten dangerously close to dying. Though he supposed, only one of them would have actually died.

Which made matters a lot worse.

He'd sworn he'd protect her. And he'd almost failed her; had almost broken the promise he had so openly had declared only a day ago.

It felt so much longer now.

Staring down at Lucy's sleeping face, comfortably pressing against his chest as she sighed in her sleep, he didn't quite know what to feel.

It was all so very confusing; all so _new_.

Nothing even remotely like this had ever happened to him before, and all the feelings raging inside him certainly didn't help bring him a sense of clarity. He wasn't quite sure what they all meant, but what he knew was that he _liked_ feeling them.

And he was okay with that, as long as he got to hold her like this.

His arms tightened around Lucy, trying to pull her even closer so that her body heat might seep into him completely. But it was an impossible task; she'd already clung to him so tightly in her sleep, seeking out his inhuman warmth, that not a centimeter of hollow space remained between them.

Tipping his head forward the tiniest bit, Natsu buried his nose in her messy hair and inhaled deeply. Her sweet scent had such a soothing effect on him that he'd questioned her humanity more than once. It had to be witchcraft, hadn't it?

She'd cast some kind of spell on him.

One so clever that it even made him unwilling to free himself of it, if he'd been able to.

A content sigh escaped his lips, and he moved one of his legs so it came over her waist, ignoring the sharp pain travelling from his toes up into his stomach. This desire to be as close to her as possible was not _entirely_ new, but it had grown stronger to a point where he was slightly overwhelmed by it.

But when he felt Lucy's arm drape around his waist in an unconscious response, he decided he didn't damn well care.

Even if they were huddled together only because of the cold they had endured, even if she had dropped down onto his mattress and stayed there only because of exhaustion... he would take everything he could get.

It was selfish of him, this desire... but he guessed it was in his nature.

It was dawning on him that there were things he could not control, and his heart was one of them. As much as he'd tried to seduce and taint her... she had had an effect on him just as much.

She was shining just as brightly as she had on the first day he'd met her, but now this fact filled him with a sense of pride and admiration that almost hurt.

She was strong, his Lucy.

Stronger than him, probably, just in a different way. He wondered if it had been her that had gotten them out of the river. His memory was foggy, and the more he tried fighting the more it all blurred before his mind's eye. Maybe it had been him after all, and he just didn't remember.

What he did remember was that she'd dragged him all the way back home.

And what he remembered even more - it came to him suddenly, a little late but with such brilliant clarity that he blinked repeatedly - was that she'd kissed him.

And that it had been the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him.

He'd never imagined it like that. Kissing people had always sounded kind of gross, and had been taught to them as a means to an end. But he hadn't been prepared for what he'd _feel_ in a kiss.

Then again he wondered if it would have been the same with anyone else.

Something told him no.

A low intake of breath interrupted his thoughts, and as he glanced down curiously his eyes widened just in time to watch Lucy sneeze against his chest. He tried not to snort as her dazed expression turned to one of horror, and she slowly glanced up to see if he was awake.

He wouldn't do her the favour of pretending to be asleep. Instead, when their eyes met, he raised a taunting brow. With a low wail that never made it past her throat, Lucy quickly began to wipe at his bare chest with the sleeve of whatever weird shirt she was wearing.

It didn't look like her usual wardrobe.

"Why don't _you_ get a cold?" he heard her mumble under her breath, but when she turned her head upwards again there was no disdain on her face. Instead, her cheeks shone a soft red that came close to the colour of his skin. Her voice turned soft, almost shy. "Good morning."

His smile turned crooked.

The urge to try this kissing thing again overcame him out of nowhere, but he'd never been one to reign in his desires.

Surging forward, he let his lips collide with hers, revelling in her surprised intake of breath before his mouth closed over hers entirely. He was curious to find out if it would be as amazing as the day before, or if it had been the novelty of the whole thing that had left such an extraordinary impression on him.

As it turned out… it was even better.

Maybe the fact that neither was wrestling with death and pain anymore had something to do with that fact, or maybe it was just their newfound hunger.

If their first kiss had been tame and consoling, this one was everything but: it was curious and sloppy and eager, happy and carefree and _fun_.

He shuddered when she sank her teeth into his lower lip, gently nibbling on the sensitive skin, and he realized this was yet another part of human life that she would be able to teach him about.

It wasn't the first, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

But it was this thought - that of her humanity, of her fragility and otherness that suddenly made him falter. He was a devil; what good could really come out of this? He'd been trying to kiss her for so long, before everything had changed, with the sole purpose of tainting her heart and corrupting her soul. Because she'd be kissing a _devil_.

His lips froze, suddenly feeling awfully cold.

What if he was doing the opposite of protecting her right now, just because of his own selfish desires? What if he was tainting her without even trying?

Lucy faltered, noticing his sudden change.

A little unwillingly, she pulled back, and for a moment he lost himself in the sight of her flushed face and swollen lips. She smiled carefully, her eyes silently questioning.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice a little hoarse, and it did weird things to his stomach.

"Lucy..." he mumbled, suddenly unsure. The fire in his belly was roaring, desiring her lips back on his, but he held himself back. "Are you feeling okay?"

His worried question took her by surprise, but after her initial shock a large smile spread across her face. She nodded, biting her lip as she did so, and it looked awfully adorable.

"I'm fine, I think, except for the cold," she said softly, placing a hand on his cheek, "Thanks for worrying."

He couldn't bring himself to tell her about his doubts, not now.

He was quite sure it might have broken him. He needed to hang on to this happiness he'd found as long as he could. As soon as they left this cocoon of togetherness, the real world would come crashing back in, and it didn't hold many nice things.

"But what about you?" she asked with wide eyes, looking guilty all of a sudden. "You… I was so worried about you. I was scared that you- that I'd lose you."

He watched her eyes fill up with tears, and panic flooded through him.

"Dummy," he said with a small laugh, "Devils don't die that easily."

"You better not," she whispered a little sternly, her brows furrowing, "But... you were in so much pain. Did something happen... before we jumped into the river?"

Damn, she didn't miss much, did she? And here he'd been thinking he had been able to overplay it before the pain came with a vengeance and left him unable to fight it. It still wasn't gone; he was just keeping it at bay. Natsu sighed.

"Remember that time I turned into a salamander at your place?" he asked.

With an involuntary little giggle, Lucy nodded, her eyes curious as he went on.

"I told you there are some things a devil can't do until he passes his exam and becomes a 'real' devil." The word felt bitter on his tongue, and he spat it out with disdain as a familiar scowl formed on his face. "Transformations, spells, and the like..."

Lucy nodded, serious now. "You said that, yes. Which is why you couldn't transform into a human."

"Yeah," he confirmed, "Except, I'd _be_ able to if it comes to skills alone, I'm quite sure. It's just... if we use that kind of magic without being allowed to... we get punished. And there's nothing you can do about that."

Lucy's eyes widened. "You attacked Marde..." she whispered, biting her lip.

He didn't answer, but he guessed that was confirmation enough.

Lucy brought a hand up to his cheek once more, gently stroking along his skin. She remained silent. Resisting the urge to close his eyes, Natsu instead watched her closely. Her expression suddenly changed when her hand moved into his hair and bumped against one of his little horns, and Natsu gave an amused snort.

Curiously, she felt her way to the tip and back, and Natsu hummed when her fingers massaged the skin around it. Lucy raised her brows at his content sounds, pressing her fingertips against his skull more deliberately.

Natsu had never been touched this way before, and he decided it felt wonderful.

He lowered his head, gladly pushing it into her hands, and he heard her laugh softly as she began to massage his head with both her hands, running her fingers through his hair and turning it into even more of a mess.

After a while (during which, he realized to his horror, he'd started to accidentally _purr_ ), Lucy began weakening her movements, her formerly firm touch turning into a light tickle. Natsu shivered, writhing slightly as her hands mischievously travelled to his neck.

"I didn't know devils were ticklish," she snickered when he jerked back under a sneaky attack that targeted his armpits, and suddenly a dark grin formed on his face.

He wouldn't just let her win like that.

And so, without granting her an answer, he tucked her head under his chin, turning her onto her back, and she laughed beneath him as he began tickling her sides. Her initial giggles soon turned to violent thrashing, but his grip was iron and his mischief unprecedented -until she sneezed right in his face.

* * *

As always, thanks for all the lovely reviews!

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	21. Chapter 21

Long wait again this time around, I know. I've been struggling with motivation for this story, plus some writer's block on top. But I have enough for a small chapter so I'll give you that.

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

 _tie your napkin 'round your neck, chêrié_

* * *

Judging from the amount of smoke in the room, the pipe currently hanging in Igneel's mouth had been stuffed more than once this morning already.

"What the _hell_ ," Lucy coughed as they walked into the room (and subsequently into a cloud of smoke), swatting at the wads of smoke that obstructed her path. But Natsu released a sound that would be best described as a wail of unadulterated joy before inhaling deeply.

"No, not hell," he said decidedly as he patted his stomach, "Less sulfur."

Lucy cast him a dubious glance.

"And definitely not smoke from a pipe," he went on, pointing an accusing finger at Igneel. "What did you blow up this time, old man?"

Slowly taking the pipe out of his mouth, Igneel bestowed him with a slightly murderous and, at the same time, very affectionate glance. Lucy wasn't quite sure how he did it.

"Nevermind now," the inventor sighed, shoulders slumping, "I thought it was destined to become a great invention..."

Lucy bit back a comment on how he _always_ said that when something blew up around him, deciding to spare his feelings. They were fragile when it came to his beloved inventions.

"Even now you can't stop fiddling and tinkering, can you?" she chided instead, and received a shameless grin in return.

But her own froze right off when Natsu chimed in.

"Lucy is mine now," he declared proudly - out of entirely nowhere - and Lucy just slapped her hands over her face.

Igneel looked torn between bursting into laughter and being swept over by pure, proud rapture. He seemed unable to close his mouth, the joyful expression of disbelief etched deeply into his face.

"Glad to see you two up," he finally beamed, rubbing his chin, "So can I expect any grandch-"

"Pervert!" Lucy screeched, cutting him short as she stomped across the room.

"Careful, she might sneeze on you," Natsu commented, earning himself an equally dangerous glare as she whirled around.

"Stop teaming up on me, you monsters" she seethed, crossing her arms over her chest as she slumped down onto the couch beside Igneel, doing her best sulking impression. It didn't have the intended effect, and she gave up on it after she went ignored.

She missed how both men exchanged amused glances.

Then Natsu settled beside her, wedging her in between himself and Igneel on the couch that was not meant to hold three people, and Lucy had a weird sense of deja-vù.

But then the cat (Happy, she'd been informed he'd been dubbed, which had elicited a snort from her), jumped onto Natsu's lap, and she was reminded that times had inevitably changed. And that not all the changes it had brought with it had been bad.

For a moment, comfortable, exhausted silence settled. Then Igneel cleared his throat, taking a long draw from his pipe. A whiff of wood smoke and cider drifted over to Lucy. It smelled quite nice actually, and certainly better than the dark smoke that was finally beginning to clear as it wafted out of the open windows.

For some reason she'd always been quite fond of Igneel's pipe smoking habits.

" _So_ ," Igneel started, emphasizing the word, and then just trailed off. Apparently he was waiting for either one of them to take over. Lucy glanced over at Natsu, who was already looking at her for help. Since she could resist neither his lost puppy gaze nor the chance to pass up on some storytelling, she decided to rise to the occasion.

" _So_. Yesterday Natsu was over at my place to... discuss a message that was sent to him by his brother. But when-"

"Wait," Igneel interrupted, "When you say his brother... you mean... the devil?"

They both nodded.

"And when you say he sent a message... he probably didn't use the mail service?"

They both shook their heads.

"Go on," Igneel allowed, scratching his chin and staring straight ahead into nothingness.

So Lucy tolf him what had happened.

"Well, and then suddenly a demon appeared in my living room mirror and a fight broke loose," she said as she drew the story to a close, "and Natsu and me escaped after I attacked him with my hairspray and we ran to the river because Natsu said so because he had a plan and then we ended up jumping into the water to escape from the creepy guy and... well. I don't remember much after that. But here we are."

Igneel's eyes had become gradually emptier with every word that left her mouth, and now he simply blew a large cloud of cider scented smoke into the air.

Lucy watched as it slowly dispersed.

"So... the devil himself is after our lives now," he concluded after a moment of silence, and then turned his head towards Natsu. "What trouble did you get yourself into this time, young man?"

Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, glaring past Lucy with the intent to burn a hole into Igneel's head with his gaze alone.

"I told him I wouldn't do my exam," he finally grumbled, looking away.

Silence settled.

"You mean... that exam where you wanted to drag both of us to hell after driving us insane?"

A little guiltily, Natsu nodded. "Just don't really feel like it anymore. It's _boring_. You got a problem with that?"

"Not at all," Igneel chuckled, but there was an undertone to his voice that betrayed his carefree behaviour. Lucy knew him well enough to see that he was touched by Natsu's actions - if not by his defiant words - seeing them for what they were.

Smiling to herself, she reached out to stretch her arms across the back of the couch, pulling both of them into her sides.

"My idiots," she laughed affectionately, revelling in their offended gasps (finally!), and at last, after all that had happened, she felt safe and at home again.

And then the door opened.

The sound of the door handle moving and the door scraping over the carpet floor drifted over into the living room from the hallway, and they all froze at the same time.

Lucy closed her eyes in silent defeat, realizing that neither of them had the energy left to get them out of this situation, whatever trap or attack it might be. Her entire world froze over once more, and the only thought that occurred to her was that it wasn't _fair_.

She felt Natsu's arms close around her as he turned to look towards the doorway behind them, hearing him growl lowly in his throat.

Soft footsteps were approaching, and she felt the now familiar power of Natsu's magic surge beside her.

Then, the steps halted, and for a moment the silence was impenetrable.

And then Natsu spoke.

"What's that child doing here?"

Lucy's eyes fluttered open, her vision slightly blurry, but she quickly managed to blink away any inklings of tears. Her confusion and curiosity were too strong for her not to move.

Besides... Natsu seemed rather unimpressed with their intruder.

How bad could it be?

"Excuse me, I am _not_ a child," a clear voice replied, somewhat offended and definitely hurt.

Lucy turned, now more eager than ever to lay eyes on the mysterious person.

It wasn't a child. It was a small woman.

Leaning her head to the side in her confusion, Lucy took a closer look at their visitor.

She did not seem threatening or menacing in the slightest; on the contrary, Lucy immediately felt at ease around her, knowing deep in her heart that she could trust this person. It was an odd feeling, but she could very clearly feel it. As if she'd met a kindred spirit. For a moment she wondered if it might be some sort of spell, but her mind could not hold on to the thought.

The thought was too ridiculous, and the woman too _cute_. Her curly blue hair was pushed back by a bandana, showcasing a cheeky face full of tiny freckles, and clever, brown eyes. Lucy understood why Natsu had called her a child; she was of short stature, and rather slim on top.

A smile spread across her face before she knew it.

"Hi, I'm Lucy," she heard herself say, blinking as the words slipped past her lips.

The woman's warm eyes found hers, a little surprised but immediately responsive. She took a step in her direction, but faltered when Natsu quite literally growled at her.

"Please," she said, "Let's avoid any misunderstandings. I'm not your enemy."

"Then who are you?" Natsu hissed, crossing his arms over his chest. Lucy caught herself almost reminding him of manners. "You reek of _them_."

"Yes," the woman answered, "That's because I _am_ an angel."

"A what?!" Lucy squeaked, her eyes widening. "A real angel?"

"Yes," she confirmed with an amused chuckle, "My name is Levy."

For a long moment, all three of them blinked at her.

"You're Gajeel's friend!" Natsu suddenly screeched, "That small angel!"

He pointed an accusing finger at her, and she crossed her arms.

"I'm not that small," she protested with a pout, "And I'm not Gajeel's _friend_ , either."

"Oh my god, you're the one," Lucy gasped, "The one he fell for. I always wondered what you might look like!"

Trying not to squeal, Lucy bit her lip. The stark contrast in appearance to Natsu's cousin amused her to no end; Levy was one of the cutest people she'd ever laid eyes on.

The poor angel's cheeks turned a fiery red as they all continued to stare at her.

"Oh, is that the grumpy fellow you told me about?" Igneel suddenly asked.

Both Natsu and Lucy nodded.

"And that's his girlfriend?"

Now all three heads turned back to Levy, who at this point had turned beet-red. Her hands curled into fists at her sides as she slowly nodded.

* * *

Enter... Levy! Yay. An angel popped up... what does that mean?

Thanks for the reviews as always!

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